Public Editor: How to find the most up-to-date news on Indy area data centers

The Indianapolis area is experiencing a rapid increase in data center developments, leading to unifying opposition from residents across the political spectrum who express a "not-in-my-backyard" sentiment. These projects, often initiated by tech giants like Amazon Web Services, Anthropic, or Meta through shell companies, are attracted by local tax incentives, cheap land, and low-cost utilities. The complexity of these developments, including non-disclosure agreements with politicians and government officials, makes tracking them challenging for local newsrooms. News consumers, such as Ashley Hooley from Protect Decatur Township and Paula Brooks from Hoosier Environmental Council supporting the Protect Martindale-Brightwood Coalition, praise some local coverage but highlight gaps in reporting on financial connections and risky development models. Mirror Indy, the Indianapolis Business Journal (IBJ), and WFYI are refining their strategies to cover the phenomenon. Mirror Indy focuses on community impact and direct engagement with residents, attending local meetings, and using social media to gather questions and provide explanations. The IBJ leverages its expertise in economic development, real estate, and technology, examining the broader business implications and tracking real estate owners through complex deals involving non-disclosure agreements. WFYI, through its investigative reporter Farrah Anderson, emphasizes community voices and explains the bureaucracy and state-backed nature of these developments, which often occur behind closed doors. Newsrooms acknowledge the challenge of building deep investigative stories due to the time required to develop sources within tech companies, municipalities, and utility firms, as the industry and technology (like AI and quantum computing) evolve rapidly.