News Release Details

DAVENPORT, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 11, 2002--Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (NYSE:LEE), reported today that, excluding the effects of acquisitions and divestitures, publishing revenue in September increased 2.3 percent compared with the previous year.

Lee's September 2002 performance versus prior year was relatively strong, as the larger advertising revenue declines occurred in the fourth calendar quarter a year ago.

Total advertising revenue increased 2.2 percent. Retail advertising revenue increased 5.4 percent. Classified revenue decreased 3.6 percent, with employment advertising down 11.2 percent, automotive advertising up 1.2 percent, real estate advertising up 5.6 percent, other newspaper classified categories down 8.3 percent, and classified in alternative publications up 0.5 percent. National advertising revenue, a small category for Lee, increased 18.6 percent.

Circulation revenue declined 1.1 percent, a result of unusual gains a year ago after the terrorist attacks.

Online revenue increased 25.9 percent.

Beginning in September 2002, the Company has revised its presentation of equity in earnings of associated companies to exclude those amounts from revenue. Including the results of acquisitions and divestitures, total publishing revenue increased 56.9 percent.

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
                            September 2002
                              (Unaudited)

               Publishing Revenue -- Operating Basis (1)

                               September              Year To Date
(Thousands)          -------------------------------------------------
                        2002     2001      %     2002      2001      %
                     -------------------------------------------------
                         (2)    (2)(3)           (2)      (2)(3)
Advertising:
  Retail             $17,223  $16,347   5.4% $198,983  $197,735   0.6%
  National             1,107      933  18.6    12,171    12,440  (2.2)
  Classified:
    Daily Newspapers:
      Employment       3,051    3,437 (11.2)   31,851    41,037 (22.4)
      Automotive       2,361    2,334   1.2    27,587    27,353   0.9
      Real Estate      2,165    2,050   5.6    22,055    21,321   3.4
      All Other        1,934    2,108  (8.3)   20,692    20,199   2.4
    Alternative
      publications     1,565    1,557   0.5    19,980    19,908   0.4
                     -----------------      --------------------
    Total Classified  11,076   11,486  (3.6)  122,165   129,818  (5.9)
                     -----------------      --------------------
    Total Advertising 29,406   28,766   2.2   333,319   339,993  (2.0)
Circulation            8,957    9,056  (1.1)  101,935   102,188  (0.2)
Online                   773      614  25.9     7,551     6,174  22.3
Other                  6,421    6,095   5.3    70,165    74,398  (5.7)
                     -----------------      --------------------
    Total -- Same
     Property
    Operating Basis   45,557   44,531   2.3   512,970   522,753  (1.9)
Equity Basis
 Adjustment           (9,964)  (9,649) (3.3) (104,728) (107,542)  2.6
Acquired/Divested
 Properties and Other 20,136      648   NM    117,654    11,755    NM
                     -----------------      --------------------
    Total Publishing
    Revenue          $55,729  $35,530  56.9% $525,896  $426,966  23.2%
                     =================      ====================


          Daily Newspaper Advertising -- Operating Basis (1)

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

Retail                     612     600   2.0%   7,155   7,240   (1.2)%
National                    29      29   0.0      371     396   (6.3)
Classified                 603     571   5.6    6,602   6,513    1.4
                      -----------------      -----------------
 Total, Same Property
 Operating Basis         1,244   1,200   3.7%  14,128  14,149   (0.1)%
                      =================      =================


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 Monday and one fewer Saturday than the
    prior period. The year to date had one more Monday and one fewer
    Sunday than the prior period.
(3) Previously reported same-property data has been restated for
    comparative purposes to exclude acquired/divested properties.
(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.

--30--cla/se*