Note 10 - Operating Segments - Summarized Financial Information for Reportable Segments (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	$ 11,677,000		$ 10,428,000
Operating expenses	13,195,000	[1]	12,949,000
Income (loss) from operations	(1,518,000)		(2,521,000)
Dividends and interest income	1,680,000		1,530,000
Other income	3,000		10,000
Net unrealized gains on investments	19,531,000		(28,640,000)
Pretax income (loss)	19,490,000		(29,850,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(5,280,000)		8,317,000
Net income (loss)	14,210,000		(21,533,000)
Total assets	254,859,000		235,116,000	$ 237,376,000
Capital expenditures	97,000		84,000
Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(22,000)		(23,000)
Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(184,000)		(206,000)
Advertising [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	2,126,000		2,192,000
Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,312,000		1,338,000
Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	694,000		669,000
License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	5,210,000		4,790,000
Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	689,000		541,000
Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,646,000		898,000
Traditional Business [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	4,132,000		4,199,000
Journal Technologies [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	7,545,000		6,229,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member]
Operating expenses	3,998,000		4,208,000
Income (loss) from operations	134,000		(9,000)
Dividends and interest income
Other income
Net unrealized gains on investments
Pretax income (loss)	112,000		(32,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(30,000)		80,000
Net income (loss)	82,000		48,000
Total assets	17,541,000		18,702,000
Capital expenditures	35,000		50,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(22,000)		(23,000)
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	2,126,000		2,192,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,312,000		1,338,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	694,000		669,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Operating Segments [Member] | Traditional Business [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member]
Operating expenses	9,197,000	[1]	8,741,000
Income (loss) from operations	(1,652,000)		(2,512,000)
Dividends and interest income
Other income
Net unrealized gains on investments
Pretax income (loss)	(1,652,000)		(2,512,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit	510,000		585,000
Net income (loss)	(1,142,000)		(1,927,000)
Total assets	20,993,000		30,571,000
Capital expenditures	62,000		34,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Advertising [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	5,210,000		4,790,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	689,000		541,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Journal Technologies [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax	1,646,000		898,000
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member]
Operating expenses
Income (loss) from operations
Dividends and interest income	1,680,000		1,530,000
Other income	3,000		10,000
Net unrealized gains on investments	19,531,000		(28,640,000)
Pretax income (loss)	21,030,000		(27,306,000)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(5,760,000)		7,652,000
Net income (loss)	15,270,000		(19,654,000)
Total assets	216,325,000		185,843,000
Capital expenditures
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Real Estate Bank Loan Secured by Logan Office [Member]
Interest expense on debt
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Margin Account [Member]
Interest expense on debt	(184,000)		(206,000)
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Advertising [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Subscription and Circulation [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Advertising Service Fees and Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | License and Maintenance [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Consulting Fees [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Service, Other [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Including Assessed Tax

[1] included goodwill impairment of $13,400,000