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broad-ripple-hvac1It began as a simple story on a new Fox 59 (WXIN-TV) new 11pm NewsPoint newscast, but it touched a raw nerve among many in the African-American community.  The story exposed serious fault lines and feelings of racism, discrimination, and unfair treatment. The controversy also exposed the decades long feeling of many that Blacks aren’t wanted as patrons of Broad Ripple’s overabundance of nightclubs. The story by NewsPoint Anchor Nicole Pence about concerns by Indianapolis Public Safety officials that “racy images” are sending the wrong message about Broad Ripple, rubbed many Black Fox 59 viewers and those who heard about the controversy on social media the wrong way. The uproar led the owner of one of the nightclubs mentioned in the Fox 59 story to call Afternoons with Amos. In an exclusive interview he told his side of the controversy. Michael Stancombe and his dad own the NYX Nightclub.  They’ve done business in Broad Ripple for decades.  Speaking with Amos and the community Stancombe didn’t tolerate misbehavior or violence.  But says that the efforts of the city and the Fox 59 story perpetuated stereotypes that Blacks are the ones causing trouble in Broad Ripple.  In an hour long dialogue after Stancombe’s interview, Afternoons with Amos listeners weighed in on long standing issues of perceived and actual discrimination by some Broad Ripple nightspots.  newspoint logoIn a separate interview with Fox 59’s Nicole Pence, Amos told her that there’s been a history of discrimination problems with some Broad Ripple nightspots.  Problems looked into by the Indiana Civil Rights Commission which at times has leveled complaints. Issues of disparate treatment and different entrance requirements for Blacks and whites in Broad Ripple night spots have been brought up for over thre decades Amos told Fox 59 and Afternoons with Amos listeners.  Amos also shared with listeners the historic refusal of Broad Ripple business leaders reaching out to the African-American community to create cooperation and dialog. The Fox 59 story and the issue has sparked strong reaction on social media sites Facebook and Twitter.  Here’s a link to the Fox 59 NewsPoint story that created the firestorm of controversy. FOX 59 REPORT ON RACY ADS IN BROAD RIPPLE   Click the Media Player to Hear Amos’ Interview With A Broad Ripple Nightspot Owner, Black Promoters and listeners About Perceived and Real Bias along with Behavior Issues in Broad Ripple. Runs 55 Minutes ©2014 WTLC/Radio One.