Northwest Indiana Discussion

First there were 2 resignations and now the Mayor's radio show is cancelled and on then on the other hand he almost stated he's going after the Governor's post period. Sure he said he's going to wait it out and see who's running, but it didn't sound like he needs anymore convincing. The cancellation of the radio show is sort of dumb if you want to stay in the spotlight in anticipation of a future political run.
Then look at it from a different way. Did the 2 resign because they had done something to drag him down.

Putting the show on hiatus wasn't the mayor's call. It was Dedlow's. He has stopped all the regular shows for the next two months due to the moving of the studio.

That's their story and they'll stick to it because it's hard to prove otherwise, however implausible the story is. Odd behavior turning away such a dependable revenue stream. Odder still is Jed's policing of subjects and the separation of the taxpayer paid portion of the programming from that which is paid by campaign money. Why is Jed the only one who is sensitive to political talk financed by Hammond taxpayers? McDermott remains quiet while Jed halts political talk. But it's not Jed, but McDermott who would be sanctioned for hitching a free political ride on a taxpayer funded show. I question why Jed cares when it seems McDermott doesn't?

Fairly thin cover on this one.... jed owes McDermott not only for the station's current transition, but for it's survival.

When things get slow, you get a flurry of city advertising on the outlet.

In this case, things don't smell, they stink.

Whatever the true reason for the "hiatus" of taxpayer paid paid airtime, the best outcome would be for it to not return. Many inherent problems exist in the execution of taxpayer paid time. First is the monopoly of time taken by a single person. Taxpayer paid airtime should not be known as the domain of a politician. They are trying to call it "The City of Hammond" program, but everyone knows what it is, and by default call it the "Mayor's Radio Show". The format of taking calls, devolves into a campaign rally where administration "friends and family" make the lion's share of calls and deliver congratulatory pap or lob softball questions. The editorializing, by call screening, hanging up on callers, and the selective limiting of a caller's time or topic, give Tom McDermott, or any other host, the ability to control to their own political advantage, radio airtime which is taxpayer paid. Another inherent problem is the lost independence of the "independent" press. Would WJOB bite the hand that feeds them, by making more public, less than flattering news about the city or the mayor? They have gone from independent to interdependent. The practice taxpayer funded programming should stop.

Lu, your right, it has been long known Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr has wanted to leave town for greener pastures, unfortunately, those pastures become arid/dry when he steps on them.

Maybe because of his wonderful personality.

We all remember recently Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr, Ex Lake County Democratic Chairman tossed his hat into a run for US Senate..... downstate Dems immediately nixed that.

And then Tom put out there he was considering running for LT. Gov.... with the then Indianapolis Mayor, but then Tom might have to explain why a certain staffer left an Indianapolis Headquartered State Wide Organization.

Then we have a recent interest in a Chairman ship of a local organization, which turned their back on Tom.

A Washington DC lobbying firm as well turned their back on Tom as well.

One thing is for sure, Lu, and your on target with this one, Hammond's Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr wants out of Hammond, but he has no where else to go, mostly because of his magnetic personality.