News Release Details

DAVENPORT, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 22, 2002--Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (NYSE:LEE), reported today that, excluding the effects of acquisitions and divestitures, publishing revenue in March increased 3.1 percent compared with a year ago, a result of an improved advertising environment and an additional Sunday this year.

Advertising revenue increased 4.3 percent. Retail advertising revenue increased 10.0 percent. Classified revenue decreased 2.9 percent, with employment advertising down 12.2 percent, automotive advertising down 2.5 percent and real estate advertising up 6.0 percent. National advertising revenue, a small category for Lee, was down 6.5 percent. Circulation revenue increased 7.4 percent, reflecting the fifth Sunday as well as unit gains. Online revenue increased 19.5 percent. Including the results of acquisitions and divestitures, total publishing revenue increased 1.1 percent.

Lee Enterprises is based in Davenport, Iowa. It owns 38 daily newspapers and a joint interest in seven others. Lee also owns nearly 200 weekly newspapers, shoppers and classified and specialty publications, along with associated online services. Its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LEE. More information about Lee Enterprises is available at www.lee.net.

The monthly and year-to-date statistical information follows on the next page.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "Safe Harbor" for forward-looking statements. This release contains information that may be deemed forward-looking and that is based largely on the Company's current expectations and is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Among such risks, trends and other uncertainties are changes in advertising demand, newsprint prices, interest rates, labor costs, legislative and regulatory rulings and other results of operations or financial conditions, difficulties in integration of acquired business or maintaining employee and customer relationships and increased capital and other costs. The words "may," "will," "would," "could," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "projects," "considers" and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this release. The Company does not publicly undertake to update or revise its forward-looking statements.

                    LEE ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED
                   Revenue and Statistical Summary
                              March 2002
                             (Unaudited)

               Publishing Revenue -- Operating Basis (1)

                           March                  Year To Date
(Thousands)      ------------------------- ---------------------------
                   2002     2001      %      2002      2001       %
                 ------- --------- ------- --------- --------- -------
                    (2)    (2)(3)             (2)     (2)(3)
Advertising
 Retail .........$17,281  $15,710  10.0 %  $101,998  $103,244   (1.2)%
 National .......  1,062    1,136    (6.5)    6,280     6,828   (8.0)
 Classified:
  Daily
   Newspapers:
    Employment ..  2,837    3,230   (12.2)   14,748    20,780  (29.0)
    Automotive ..  2,387    2,447    (2.5)   13,211    13,114    0.7
    Real Estate .  1,774    1,673     6.0    10,071     9,861    2.1
    All Other ...  1,664    1,652     0.7     9,521     8,734    9.0
   Alternative
    publications   1,840    1,819     1.2    10,055    10,096   (0.4)
                 ------- ---------         --------- ---------
                  10,502   10,821    (2.9)   57,606    62,585   (8.0)
                 ------- ---------         --------- ---------
                  28,845   27,667     4.3   165,884   172,657   (3.9)
Circulation .....  9,082    8,460     7.4    51,175    51,193     --
Online ..........    637      533    19.5     3,349     2,820   18.8
Other ...........  6,938    7,476    (7.2)   36,367    39,009   (6.8)
                 ------- ---------         --------- ---------
  Total -- Same
   Property
   Operating
    Basis         45,502   44,136     3.1   256,775   265,679   (3.4)
Equity Basis
 Adjustment ..... (8,667)  (8,542)    NM     47,428)  (50,915)   NM
Acquired/Divested
 Properties and
 Other                 1      843     NM      2,346     5,915    NM
                 ------- ---------         --------- ---------
                 $36,836  $36,436     1.1  $211,693  $220,679   (4.1)
                 ======= =========         ========= =========

          Daily Newspaper Advertising -- Operating Basis (1)

                         March                     Year To Date
                 ------------------------- ---------------------------
(Thousands of
 Inches)           2002     2001      %       2002     2001       %
                 -------- -------- -------  -------- --------- -------
                    (2)    (2)(3)              (2)    (2)(3)

Retail...........    612      605     1.2%    3,626     3,796   (4.5)%
National.........     32       36   (11.1)      191       213  (10.3)
Classified.......    561      537     4.5     3,129     3,182   (1.7)
                 ------- ---------         --------- ---------
                   1,205    1,178     2.3     6,946     7,191   (3.4)
                 ======= =========         ========= =========

Notes to Revenue and Statistical Summary:

(1) Operating basis includes 100% of the revenue and statistical

information of Madison Newspapers, Inc., (MNI) which for financial

reporting purposes is reported using the equity method of

accounting. Lee owns 50% of the stock of MNI. (2) The month had one more Sunday and one fewer Thursday than a year

ago. The year to date had no day exchanges from a year ago. (3) Previously reported data has been restated for comparative

purposes to exclude acquired/divested properties. (4) The Company's fiscal year ends on September 30.