Note 10 - Operating Segments - Summarized Financial Information for Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	$ 12,874,000			$ 14,518,000			$ 36,907,000	$ 35,658,000
Operating expenses	12,281,000			13,394,000			38,930,000	39,726,000
Loss from operations	593,000			1,124,000			(2,023,000)	(4,068,000)
Dividends and interest income	1,596,000			1,368,000			4,573,000	4,039,000
Other income				10,000			3,000	29,000
Net unrealized losses on investments	16,489,000			3,214,000			(41,191,000)	(16,929,000)
Pretax income (loss)	18,594,000			5,443,000			(39,102,000)	(17,672,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(4,320,000)			(1,620,000)			11,260,000	4,980,000
Net income (loss)	14,274,000	$ (56,326,000)	$ 14,210,000	3,823,000	$ 5,018,000	$ (21,533,000)	(27,842,000)	(12,692,000)
Total assets	197,964,000			249,755,000			197,964,000	249,755,000	$ 237,376,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total				13,000			168,000	97,000
Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expenses on debt	(20,000)			(22,000)			(63,000)	(67,000)
Margin Account [Member]
Interest expenses on debt	(64,000)			(251,000)			(401,000)	(676,000)
Advertising [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,297,000			2,453,000			5,415,000	6,753,000
Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,259,000			1,319,000			3,857,000	3,930,000
Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	575,000			735,000			1,923,000	2,028,000
License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	5,531,000			5,814,000			16,246,000	15,244,000
Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	3,147,000			2,627,000			5,065,000	3,567,000
Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,065,000			1,570,000			4,401,000	4,136,000
Traditional Business [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	3,131,000			4,507,000			11,195,000	12,711,000
Journal Technologies [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	9,743,000			10,011,000			25,712,000	22,947,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member]
Operating expenses	3,860,000			4,137,000			11,766,000	12,485,000
Loss from operations	(729,000)			370,000			(571,000)	226,000
Pretax income (loss)	(749,000)			348,000			(634,000)	159,000
Income tax (expense) benefit	215,000			(225,000)			185,000	(110,000)
Net income (loss)	(534,000)			123,000			(449,000)	49,000
Total assets	17,752,000			18,276,000			17,752,000	18,276,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total				13,000			99,000	63,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expenses on debt	(20,000)			(22,000)			(63,000)	(67,000)
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,297,000			2,453,000			5,415,000	6,753,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,259,000			1,319,000			3,857,000	3,930,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	575,000			735,000			1,923,000	2,028,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member]
Operating expenses	8,421,000			9,257,000			27,164,000	27,241,000
Loss from operations	1,322,000			754,000			(1,452,000)	(4,294,000)
Pretax income (loss)	1,322,000			754,000			(1,452,000)	(4,294,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(545,000)			(145,000)			380,000	1,155,000
Net income (loss)	777,000			609,000			(1,072,000)	(3,139,000)
Total assets	24,667,000			33,903,000			24,667,000	33,903,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment, Total							69,000	34,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	5,531,000			5,814,000			16,246,000	15,244,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	3,147,000			2,627,000			5,065,000	3,567,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,065,000			1,570,000			4,401,000	4,136,000
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Dividends and interest income	1,596,000			1,368,000			4,573,000	4,039,000
Other income				10,000			3,000	29,000
Net unrealized losses on investments	16,489,000			3,214,000			(41,191,000)	(16,929,000)
Pretax income (loss)	18,021,000			4,341,000			(37,016,000)	(13,537,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(3,990,000)			(1,250,000)			10,695,000	3,935,000
Net income (loss)	14,031,000			3,091,000			(26,321,000)	(9,602,000)
Total assets	155,545,000			197,576,000			155,545,000	197,576,000
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Margin Account [Member]
Interest expenses on debt	$ (64,000)			$ (251,000)			$ (401,000)	$ (676,000)