Midwest Newspaper Publisher Develops Mobile Apps

Looks like smartphone/Foursquare/tweeting devices aren't just for coastal, big-city newspaper publishers anymore. Lee Enterprises (LEE), which publishes more than 50 dailies across the country but mainly in the flatlands, announced today that it will partner with software programmer Handmark develop mobile applications for its newspapers. Lee's St. Louis Post Dispatch currently offers an application devoted to the town's Cardinals baseball team for $2.99. Lee intends to unveil additional sports apps tied to other local papers in coming months. Handmark currently provides apps for The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Thomson Reuters, the New York Daily News, CBS, The Associated Press and others. Press release after the jump. DAVENPORT, IA and KANSAS CITY, MO -- (April 29, 2010) -- Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (NYSE: LEE) and Handmark today announced that Handmark will develop and support mobile applications for the companyâ€™s newspaper and online media properties. Lee Enterprises is a leading provider of local news, information and advertising primarily in midsize markets, with more than 50 daily newspapers and online sites, as well as 300 specialty publications in 23 states. Lee's newspapers reach more than four million readers daily, online sites attract nearly 16 million unique visits monthly, and its weekly publications are distributed to more than 4.5 million households. "We are committed to supporting a unique, quality news experience for our readers across the country," said Greg Schermer, VP of Interactive Media at Lee Enterprises. "Handmark enables us to deliver a new level of convenience for our readers, bringing instant news and information to their mobile device and opens the door for additional revenue opportunities." The St. Louis Post Dispatch was the first Lee property to launch a new Cardinals Baseball 2010 mobile application. The application provides fast, convenient access to the latest Cardinals insight, gossip, breaking news and photos from the Post-Dispatch's all-star coverage team. It is available to download now for $2.99 on any iPhone, BlackBerry, Android or Windows Mobile smartphone by texting â€œCARDSâ€ to 46275 or visiting STLtoday.com/apps. Handmark and Lee will work together to launch similar professional sports apps with other local newspapers in the coming months, as well as mobile apps for university sports team coverage. "It is fantastic to see leading media companies like Lee embracing mobile as the next new medium with creative ideas on how to engage and expand their readership," said Paul Reddick, Handmark CEO. "We are excited to support Lee and their media partners in delivering great mobile experiences for their customers." Leading media brands and publishers continue to select Handmark based on its proven ability to develop and execute end-to-end mobile solutions. Handmark is an industry leader in the development, strategic distribution, monetization and on-going innovation across all the major mobile platforms, as well tablet devices such as the Apple iPad. The companyâ€™s unique Mobile App Network also drives discovery and unique monetization opportunities for its partners.

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Midwest Newspaper Publisher Develops Mobile Apps

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