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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K



                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


                          Date of Report: May 21, 2003


                          Commission File Number 1-6227



                          LEE ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


                Delaware                             42-0823980
        (State of Incorporation)         (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)


                    215 N. Main Street, Davenport, Iowa 52801
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)


                                 (563) 383-2100
               Registrant's telephone number, including area code





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Item 9.  Regulation FD Disclosure

See Item 12.  Results of Operations and Financial Condition

Item 12.  Results of Operations and Financial Condition

On May 20, 2003, Lee  Enterprises,  Incorporated  ("the  Company")  reported its
revenue for the month of April 2003, and is furnishing the related release under
Item 12. The following exhibits are included herein:

EXHIBIT 99.1  Monthly Revenue Release - April 2003



                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                        LEE ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED



Date:  May 21, 2003                     /s/ Carl G. Schmidt
                                        ------------------------------------
                                        Carl G. Schmidt
                                        Vice President, Chief Financial Officer,
                                        and Treasurer



EXHIBIT 99.1  Monthly Revenue Release - April 2003

LEE ENTERPRISES
215 Main St.
Davenport, IA 52801-1924
www.lee.net


NEWS RELEASE

Lee Enterprises  reports April same property revenue growth of 3.6%; 7.4% at new
papers

DAVENPORT,  Iowa (May 20, 2003) - Lee  Enterprises,  Incorporated  (NYSE:  LEE),
reported today that same property publishing revenue(2) increased 3.6 percent in
April compared with a year ago.

Excluding  the  effects of  acquisitions  and  divestitures,  total  advertising
revenue increased 2.4 percent. Retail advertising revenue increased 6.1 percent.
Classified  advertising revenue decreased 3.3 percent,  with employment down 8.8
percent,  automotive  down  3.0  percent,  real  estate  up 3.9  percent,  other
newspaper classified  categories down 2.4 percent, and classified in alternative
publications down 3.7 percent.  National  advertising  revenue, a small category
for Lee, decreased 0.3 percent. Circulation revenue declined 0.5 percent. Online
revenue increased 30.6 percent.

Including the results of acquisitions and divestitures, total publishing revenue
increased 8.2 percent on a reported basis.

At the 15  newspapers  Lee  acquired in their  entirety  in April 2002,  revenue
increased 7.4 percent(3).  Publishing  revenue of the former Howard  newspapers
increased  18.1  percent on a reported  basis,  due in part to the  inclusion of
Sioux City  Newspapers  (SCN) in revenue in the current year.  Lee's purchase of
Howard  Publications in April 2002 included 15 daily newspapers and a 50 percent
interest in SCN. Lee acquired the  remaining 50 percent  interest of SCN in July
2002.

"April marked our first  anniversary with the former Howard  newspapers,  and we
continue to be delighted with the results," said Mary Junck,  chairman and chief
executive  officer.  "As we said at the time, the basis for the  acquisition was
revenue growth, and the people at our new newspapers have proved that right. The
strategies  that have worked so well in the rest of Lee have yielded  especially
fine results at these new newspapers.  We're  emphasizing  both revenue and unit
growth in advertising, circulation and online."

She added:  "We're  particularly  pleased with our continued success in building
our circulation base. In the latest Audit Bureau of Circulations Fas-Fax report,
our paid  circulation  climbed  for the fourth  six-month  period in a row.  For
September-March,  daily  circulation  grew 1.1 percent at Lee's older newspapers
and 0.1 percent at our new ones,  for  combined  growth of 0.7  percent.  Sunday
circulation dipped 0.1 percent at Lee's older newspapers but grew 0.9 percent at
our new ones, for combined growth of 0.3 percent. With our  circulation-building
programs  well  in  place  at our new  newspapers,  we look  for the  growth  to
continue."

Lee Enterprises is based in Davenport,  Iowa. Lee owns 38 daily newspapers and a
joint interest in six others,  along with associated  online services.  Lee also
owns more than 175 weekly  newspapers,  shoppers and  classified  and  specialty
publications.  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.



LEE ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED Revenue and Statistical Summary April 2003 (Unaudited) PUBLISHING REVENUE April Year To Date (Thousands) --------------------------- --------------------------- 2003 2002 % 2003 2002 % --------- --------- ------- --------- --------- ------- (1)(2) (1)(2) (2) (2) Advertising: Retail.................. $ 13,604 $ 12,821 6.1 % $ 96,561 $ 93,309 3.5 % National................ 785 787 (0.3) 5,721 5,942 (3.7) Classified: Daily newspapers: Employment.......... 1,764 1,935 (8.8) 11,686 12,122 (3.6) Automotive.......... 1,722 1,775 (3.0) 12,022 11,944 0.7 Real estate......... 1,426 1,372 3.9 9,610 8,876 8.3 All other........... 1,240 1,271 (2.4) 8,001 8,091 (1.1) Alternative publications........ 1,595 1,656 (3.7) 11,598 11,289 2.7 --------- --------- --------- --------- Total classified...... 7,747 8,009 (3.3) 52,917 52,322 1.1 --------- --------- --------- --------- Total advertising..... 22,136 21,617 2.4 155,199 151,573 2.4 Circulation............... 6,533 6,565 (0.5) 46,923 47,016 (0.2) Online.................... 772 591 30.6 4,943 3,628 36.2 Other..................... 5,053 4,528 11.6 33,624 31,804 5.7 --------- --------- --------- --------- Total, Same property.. 34,494 33,301 3.6 240,689 234,021 2.8 Acquired/divested properties: Acquisitions............ 20,141 17,049 18.1 139,826 17,049 NM Divestitures............ -- 141 NM -- 3,289 NM --------- --------- --------- --------- Total acquired/divested properties............... 20,141 17,190 17.2 139,826 20,338 NM --------- --------- --------- --------- Total publishing revenue............... $ 54,635 $ 50,491 8.2 % $380,515 $254,359 49.6 % ========= ========= ========= =========
DAILY NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING VOLUME April Year To Date ------------------------- ------------------------- (Thousands of Inches) 2003 2002 % 2003 2002 % ------- ------- ------ ------- ------- ------ (1)(2) (1)(2) (2) (2) Retail.................... 476 467 1.9 % 3,533 3,512 0.6 % National.................. 25 27 (7.4) 170 199 (14.6) Classified................ 481 480 0.2 3,193 3,165 0.9 ------- ------- ------- ------- Total, Same property.. 982 974 0.8 % 6,896 6,876 0.3 % ======= ======= ======= ======= Notes to Revenue and Statistical Summary: (1) The month and year to date had one more Wednesday and one fewer Monday than the prior period. (2) Beginning in March 2003, same property revenue excludes revenue of Madison Newspapers, Inc. (MNI), in order to comply with newly issued SEC regulations related to disclosure of non-GAAP financial measures. Lee owns 50% of the capital stock of MNI, which for financial reporting purposes is reported using the equity method of accounting.
2 (3) Same property revenue related to newspapers acquired from Howard Publications excludes revenue of Sioux City Newspapers (SCN). Lee owned 50% of the capital stock of SCN during the period from April through June 2002, which was accounted for using the equity method of accounting. Year to date same property revenue information is not meaningful due to the consummation of the acquisition at a date during the fiscal year. The following table reconciles Howard acquisition revenue on a same property basis to revenue as reported. April ----------------------------- (Thousands) 2003 2002 % Howard acquisition revenue.................. $18,305 $17,049 7.4% SCN......................................... 1,836 -- NM -------- ------- Total publishing revenue.................... $20,141 $17,049 18.1% ======== =======
(4) The Company's fiscal year ends on September 30. (5) The Company disclaims responsibility for updating information beyond release date. 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 businesses 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. Contact: dan.hayes@lee.net, (563) 383-2100 3