Indianapolis Star

In the burgeoning city of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Star launched on June 6, 1903. The founder, Muncie industrialist George F. McCulloch, created the paper to compete with other local dailies. Within its first few years, the Star quickly absorbed its main competitors, the Indianapolis Journal and the Indianapolis Sentinel, establishing itself as a dominant force in the city's media landscape. The paper entered a new chapter in 1944 when Eugene C. Pulliam purchased it. Pulliam's leadership ushered in a period of significant growth, and by 1948, the Star had become Indiana's largest newspaper. A major consolidation occurred that same year when Pulliam acquired the rival Indianapolis News, combining the business and production operations of the two papers. Though they shared a building, their editorial staffs remained separate for decades. A pivotal event in the company's modern history came in 2000 when Gannett, a major media corporation, acquired Central Newspapers Inc., the Star's parent company. This acquisition marked the end of local ownership for the city's primary daily newspaper. Under Gannett's ownership, the Star, like many newspapers, has navigated the transition to digital media while continuing its legacy of reporting, which includes multiple Pulitzer Prizes for investigative journalism.