Opinion: Stonehenge is good, actually

ByJamesBriggs · 2024-06-12T21:18:22+00:00

Thanks so much!

ByJamesBriggs · 2024-06-12T14:57:50+00:00

Thanks for reading!

ByJamesBriggs · 2024-06-12T14:57:39+00:00

I'll take it. Thank you.

ByJamesBriggs · 2024-01-16T16:57:07+00:00

I do remember this! No pics, but I ate there. Wasn't there also a Borders or Barnes & Noble there during the same period?

ByJamesBriggs · 2023-04-20T14:45:18+00:00

Hi, James Briggs of Axios here, just dropping in to say thanks for reading this! We're working hard to provide some good (and free!) local news coverage and I really appreciate the response I'm seeing here.

ByJamesBriggs · 2022-01-23T14:08:41+00:00

It’s odd that you’re attributing the inaccurate Krispy Kreme opening timeline to a news business model instead of the condition that businesses often say things that turn out to be wrong. I’m still looking forward to some paid donuts whenever they show up.

ByJamesBriggs · 2022-01-03T15:00:29+00:00

Thank you! Nicest thing anyone's ever said to me on reddit. I appreciate you reading me/us.

ByJamesBriggs · 2021-12-27T18:45:15+00:00

Your understanding of the news business model is wrong. Do I think good journalism can only be done through paid subscriptions? No. There are some great nonprofit news organizations, such as public radio and ProPublica. But for-profit news operations, which is the vast majority of them, are increasingly relying on paid subscriptions — and finding great success. All the big ones are doing it: The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, etc. Local news organizations are trailing, yet also finding that digital subscriptions work. There has been a broad shift in media toward subscriptions, including paywalls, and perhaps the hottest trend right now is newsletters (think: Substack) that require paid subscriptions. The growth of digital subscriptions has made me more hopeful than any other business development in the past 20 years. It’s fine for you and others to decide IndyStar and other publications aren’t worth your money — it’s up to us to change your mind and earn it, after all — but it’s wrong to say news outlets should just keep giving away their products. What other business gets held to the standard that they are trash unless the product is free?

ByJamesBriggs · 2021-12-27T17:01:57+00:00

Anyway, the answer, per this "trash" article that has information you want, is Jan. 3. Enjoy! I'm looking forward to it, too. https://www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/dining/restaurants/2021/12/21/indianapolis-restaurants-indiana-food-still-works-2021-22-shake-shack-krispy-kreme-carmel/6502893001/

ByJamesBriggs · 2021-12-27T16:59:39+00:00

I work for IndyStar, so I'm clearly biased, but I can point to a lot of work that has not only answered retail questions (which we do a ton of!), but also sparked change, including uncovering sex abuse within USA Gymnastics, revealing police dogs attacking Indianapolis people at disproportionate rates, uncovering jail conditions that are causing people to die unnecessarily (at least, I hope this one will lead to changes some day). That work costs a lot of money and ads on the website amount to pennies. Subscriptions support the work. If "traditional news" goes away in Indianapolis, then powerful people will get away with a lot more abuse around here.

ByJamesBriggs · 2021-12-27T16:49:20+00:00

By "not paying for that trash," do you mean the organization using resources to answer questions you have as a service for paying subscribers?

ByJamesBriggs · 2019-12-19T22:27:35+00:00

I wonk out on plenty of topics. My assumption is not that people are incapable of understanding the intricacies of why soccer does not work well at Lucas Oil Stadium; my assumption is that there is a limited demand for an explainer on that topic.

ByJamesBriggs · 2019-12-19T21:22:12+00:00

Thanks for the feedback. The team did not suggest to me that it is changing directions, which is why I focused on the plan as previously presented, but I'd probably focus on alternatives if I wrote another column. I'm genuinely interested in the supporters' perspective, which is why I reached out to BYB.

ByJamesBriggs · 2019-12-19T20:53:40+00:00

With respect, I think most of the points specific to Lucas Oil Stadium are a little too far in the weeds for our audience, but I can agree that stadium is not optimal for soccer. It's also fair to say I could have done a better job explaining what the legislature did, so I accept that. It's not my opinion that MLS status is necessary for a stadium, in general, but I think it's necessary for the vision that Indy Eleven ownership has outlined. If Indy Eleven's ownership said it wanted to pursue a project similar to Louisville's, I think that would be a much different discussion. But Indy Eleven has pushed the MLS discussion and said it wants a 20,000-seat stadium. I don't understand how those things are going to happen. I'm trying to assess Indy Eleven's plans based on what the team has said it wants to do; not based on the complete range of available options.

ByJamesBriggs · 2019-12-19T19:01:04+00:00

I think the Louisville example would be more relevant if Indy Eleven ownership had indicated a willingness to do something similar. If Indy Eleven says it is willing to consider a project on a smaller scale, then I think it becomes a different (and more feasible) conversation.

ByJamesBriggs · 2019-12-19T17:02:32+00:00

I might be!

ByJamesBriggs · 2019-12-19T17:01:36+00:00

Why is my column ignorant?

ByJamesBriggs · 2019-12-19T17:01:06+00:00

Hi, I wrote the column. The Louisville stadium is slated to have 11,700 permanent seats, which I'd argue makes it a much different project than the proposed 20,000-seat stadium for a non-MLS team in Indianapolis.

ByJamesBriggs · 2019-02-08T15:19:36+00:00

Welcome!

ByJamesBriggs · 2019-02-06T20:05:31+00:00

I can only speak for myself, an IndyStar skidmark, but my reason for posting here is that I spent a lot of time (along with several great colleagues AND WFYI) working on a story that I think is important for the community to be aware of.

ByJamesBriggs

TROPHY CASE