City: Indianapolis, IN

Category: Media

Telephone: (317) 633-9273

Address: 307 N. Pennsylvania St.

Description: When the Indianapolis Star debuted on June 6, 1903, it challenged existing newspapers in the city and let the city know a new kid was on the block through a publicity stunt. Newspaper founder George F. McCulloch paid a balloonist $650 to drop red stars on the city in the days leading up to the paper’s debut. More stars were dropped from the year-old Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Slowly, the Star absorbed its competition. By 1948, the Star had become the state’s largest circulation paper. The news turf was dominated by three dailies—the Times, the Star and the News. In 1965, the Times, a Scripps Howard publication, ceased publication, leaving the News and the Star as the city’s two major dailies. After the death of owner Eugene S. Pulliam in 1999, the News folded. In 2000 the Indianapolis Star became part of the Gannett Co., the nation’s largest newspaper chain, leaving Indianapolis with no locally owned daily newspaper. The Star has a circulation of about 255,000 daily and 325,000 on Sunday.