“Chicagoland” is an eight-part series that aired on CNN and aimed to delve deep into Chicago’s crippling gang violence, which permeates throughout its faltering public school system. The series focuses largely on Chicago’s Mayor, Rahm Emmanuel, and gives a sort of glossy image of a dogged mayor trying to save his city. If that sounds too good to be true, it’s because it is, the Chicago Tribune reports.
More than 700 emails reviewed by the Tribune reveal that the production team worked hand in hand with the mayor’s advisers to develop storylines, arrange specific camera shots and review news releases officially announcing the show.
Producers asked the mayor’s office to help them set up key interactions in what the cable network has billed as a nonscripted eight-part series, including Emanuel’s visits with the school principal who emerged as a star of the show, emails show.