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The Spokesman Review App: Digital Local Journalism Assessment

by Cowles Publishing Company

The Spokesman Review mobile app delivers digital replica newspaper access and real-time local news alerts. Designed for Spokane-area residents seeking portable access to regional journalism with print-style layout preservation.

Detailed Review

The Spokesman Review mobile application, developed by Cowles Publishing Company, serves as a digital gateway to Spokane's primary daily newspaper. This iOS application positions itself as a modern solution for accessing local journalism, offering both traditional print replica viewing and contemporary digital news consumption features. The app enters a competitive landscape of regional news applications, attempting to balance legacy newspaper presentation with mobile-first functionality. The application's core functionality centers on two primary access modes: a daily digital replica that mirrors the print edition's layout and formatting, and a fluid mobile view optimized for smartphone screens. Users receive push notifications for breaking news alerts, with content spanning local headlines, regional developments, sports coverage, entertainment reporting, crime updates, outdoor recreation features, and columnist contributions. The digital replica feature includes zoom and fit-to-screen controls, though these interface elements have undergone repositioning between updates, as noted in user feedback. User experience demonstrates mixed implementation quality. Navigation follows conventional news app patterns with section-based browsing and article saving capabilities. The interface transition from the previous application version has drawn attention for improved stability, with users reporting reduced glitches and smoother scrolling performance. However, the 1.85-star aggregate rating suggests significant usability challenges that newer versions may not have fully addressed. Real-world usage patterns indicate strongest adoption among existing print subscribers seeking digital convenience and readers specifically interested in Spokane-region coverage. User feedback reveals polarized experiences, with positive reviews highlighting recent improvements. User 'liveitupyall' noted on January 14, 2023: 'Now that I have the new app I find it much more user-friendly... easier to navigate, less glitchy.' Conversely, the overwhelmingly low aggregate rating suggests widespread technical or design issues not reflected in the limited positive reviews. User 'galaxydawg' (January 14, 2023) mentioned interface changes requiring adjustment: 'once I found the fit-to-screen button in the top right-hand corner instead of at the bottom right.' Several reviews, including from 'Aliceheartszombies' (January 31, 2023), acknowledge imperfections while supporting the concept of local news access. The application delivers value through comprehensive local coverage and digital replica preservation, serving readers who prefer traditional newspaper layout presentation. Significant limitations appear in user interface consistency and technical performance, as evidenced by the low aggregate rating despite recent positive reviews. The app functions adequately for basic news access but may frustrate users expecting polished digital experiences comparable to national news applications. Ideal use cases involve existing newspaper subscribers seeking mobile complement rather than primary news consumption.

Key Features

  • Digital replica viewing provides exact print edition layout preservation with zoom and pan controls for traditional newspaper reading experience
  • Mobile-optimized article view reformats content for smartphone screens with adjustable text size and clean reading interface
  • Breaking news alerts deliver push notifications for urgent local developments and ongoing news coverage updates
  • Section-based navigation organizes content by topics including sports, entertainment, crime and local news categories
  • Offline reading capability allows downloaded editions for access without continuous internet connection requirement
  • Cross-platform synchronization maintains reading progress and saved articles between mobile and web versions

Why Users Love It

Comprehensive local coverage
Print replica preservation

Perfect for: Spokane-area residents seeking local news access

Screenshots

The Spokesman Review screenshot 1The Spokesman Review screenshot 2The Spokesman Review screenshot 3The Spokesman Review screenshot 4The Spokesman Review screenshot 5

User Reviews

Vintagedad
Jan 14, 2023

The new app is like all other papers now. Like the washington Post, New York Times and the Guardian. Much easier to read now Grow up The new app is like all other papers now. Like the washington Post, New York Times and the Guardian. Much easier to read now

SpoDataDude
Mar 28, 2025

I’m a new subscriber that just started using the app, and the app works well. I’m not sure why the review score for this app is so low. App works well I’m a new subscriber that just started using the app, and the app works well. I’m not sure why the review score for this app is so low.

Aliceheartszombies
Jan 31, 2023

The app isn’t perfect, but it’s great to have a local news app and I highly recommend that people in the Spokane area support the local paper. Nice to have a local news app The app isn’t perfect, but it’s great to have a local news app and I highly recommend that people in the Spokane area support the local paper.

liveitupyall
Jan 14, 2023

Took me a week to find the time to research why the old app wasn’t working. Now that I have the new app I find it much more user-friendly. While it doesn’t “look” like a print newspaper, it’s easier to navigate, less glitchy, and just smoother overall than the old app. And there’s always the web-based e-edition if I want a different way to navigate. Great upgrade!! Big improvement Took me a week to find the time to research why the old app wasn’t working. Now that I have the new app I find it much more user-friendly. While it doesn’t “look” like a print newspaper, it’s easier to navigate, less glitchy, and just smoother overall than the old app. And there’s always the web-based e-edition if I want a different way to navigate. Great upgrade!!

galaxydawg
Jan 14, 2023

once i found the fit-to-screen button in the top right-hand corner instead of at the bottom right where it used to be works great once i found the fit-to-screen button in the top right-hand corner instead of at the bottom right where it used to be

App Details

Developer

Cowles Publishing Company

Platform

ios

Rating

1.9

Last Updated

9/7/2025