News Release Details

DAVENPORT, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 11, 2003--Mary Junck, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Lee Enterprises (NYSE:LEE), announced tonight that the Herald & Review in Decatur, Illinois, has been selected from among Lee's 44 daily newspapers and nearly 200 other publications as 2003 Enterprise of the Year.

The announcement was made at Lee's annual President's Awards ceremony honoring outstanding performances in news, innovation and community spirit.

"Publisher Linda Lindus and her team in Decatur did it all," Junck said. "They provided inspirational leadership that has helped raise the spirit of the community, while engineering impressive performances for the newspaper itself in meeting Lee's top priorities of growing revenue, improving readership and circulation, emphasizing strong local news, strengthening our online services and carefully controlling costs. Also, the newsroom won the biggest award in the state -- The Associated Press General Excellence Award. In addition, Linda and her team integrated the production, circulation, finance and call center operations of the Decatur operation with those of our neighboring newspapers in Mattoon and Charleston to form a more efficient strategic business unit for Lee."

Jim Hopson, Lee vice president for publishing, added: "There is today in Decatur a palpable sense of excitement and fun. People are winners again. For the tremendous example of energizing leadership, dramatic improvements in the fortunes and spirit of the newspaper, and the sheer breadth and quantity of great work, the Herald & Review has very much earned our recognition and high praise."

Three other newspapers were honored as Enterprise of the Year Finalists - The Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale, the North County Times in Oceanside/Escondido, California, and the Globe Gazette in Mason City, Iowa, along with its surrounding weekly publications.

Winners of the news, innovation and spirit awards were announced previously. They are:

NEWS - The staff of the Billings Gazette in Montana, for comprehensive coverage of a 20-day teachers strike and the surrounding turmoil; Mark Mahoney, editorial writer for The Post-Star in Glens Falls, N.Y.; Sandy Miller, Chad Baldwin and Clark Walworth of The Times-News in Twin-Falls, Idaho, for freedom of information reporting; and Darrin Mortenson and Hayne Palmour of the North County Times in Oceanside/Escondido, Calif., for outstanding localized coverage of the war in Iraq.

INNOVATION - Christine Masters and Mike Buchler of The Times of Northwest Indiana, based in Munster, for applying Lee best practices to double website traffic at www.nwitimes.com and increase online revenue by more than 800 percent in one year; Varinda Missett and Bill Williamson of the North County Times in Oceanside/Escondido, Calif., for developing an innovative advertising program for auto dealers; and the Lee Sales Development Team for leading sales blitzes that in the last year have generated new contracted revenue totaling more than $12 million. Team members are Jody Andruss, Kali Belding, Sue Halverson-Natvig, Eric MacDougall, Peg Miller, Lori Ravellette, Monica Tews and Bob Williams.

SPIRIT - Arleen Hubble, an advertising sales representative at The Daily News in Longview, Washington, honored for outstanding citizenship and personal commitment to the community and Lee.

The awards carry cash prizes totaling $40,000.

Photos and more information about the Lee President's Awards are available at www.lee.net.

Lee Enterprises is based in Davenport, Iowa, and is the premier publisher of daily newspapers in midsize markets. Lee stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LEE.

CONTACT: Lee Enterprises, Davenport
Dan Hayes, 563-383-2163
Dan.Hayes@Lee.net,

SOURCE: Lee Enterprises