Indianapolis Star Disables Comments On Story About Renaming Georgia Street

Proposed Georgia Street
after $12 million overhaul

On rare occasions the Indianapolis Star will disable the function allowing readers to comment on stories.  Usually it is when stories involve an unfortunate death or a racially-tinged situation.  Those stories provoke a number of insensitive and inappropriate comments that lead the Star to shut off comments entirely.  Today's example though is of particular note as it doesn't fit those types of stories.

In a story which still appears in the on-line edition, the Indianapolis Star invited readers to contact Indianapolis Downtown with suggested names for the three block segment of Georgia Street near Lucas Oil Stadium that is being revamped to the tune of $12 million dollars. The segment will include heated street and sidewalks, as well as a boardwalk and outdoor dining options.  Advance Indiana recently reported on the project.

When the Star first put the story up yesterday, Readers immediately began criticizing the cost of the project and offering such derogatory names as "Boondoggle Blvd" and "Pay to Play Way."  There wasn't anything offensive in the comments...just criticism of the project.  In fact probably 90% of the comments were critical.

Anyone who does not believe the Star has discarded its professional objectivity when it comes to these taxpayer-funded projects to support the downtown elites should take note of what the Indianapolis Star did.  They took down the comments and disabled readers from offering new comments.

If the Star's publisher wonders why the paper is losing readers, perhaps it should consider that people do not want a local newspaper that is nothing more than a cheerleader for the elites who run this City.