No second season for ‘The Chicago Code’ series

FOX TV Monday night did what was not unexpected by canceling freshman entry, The Chicago Code, due to ratings that started out so-so and didn’t improve. While everyone involved with the show, and especially the IFO which has its hopes pinned on series television shooting here, they knew in their hearts that while the Chicago scenes were impressive, the plotline was not.

Chicago Code’s death sentance was issued shortly after the show’s premiere,” reports Deadline Hollywood, “and sealed by creator Shawn Ryan’s move from 20th to Sony. While modestly rated, the showed has shown some recent growth.”

Chicago Code was one of five Fox shows axed, along with procedural Lie to Me, sophomore drama Human Target and freshmen Traffic Light and Breaking In.

DRAFTFCB LOSES EVP/director of creative production services Dan “Ziggy” Zigulich who will leave the agencyat the end of the month for the second time, to pursue a new but unidentified opportunity. 

Zigulich had spent 20 years at the agency before he left the first time in 1998 to open his own spot production company, Z Group Films and eventually its sister company, El Grupo Zeta.  

He closed those two companies in 2008 and rejoined Draftfcb.  No replacement named as yet.

UPCOMING LAUNCH PARTIES:  On May 24 Daufenbach Camera introduces and demonstrates its brand new Red Epic-M cameras, along with screenings of Epic in action and 3D footage, at its facilities at 320 N. Damen, starting at 5 p.m.

On June 2, Lauralyn Farwell shows off her Gabriel Media’s spacious new offices and studios at 700 N. Carpenter, 5-8 p.m.

THE BIG OPRAH NEWS TODAY is the replacement of CEO Christina Norman by Peter Liguori, named interim CEO of OWN.  Norman held the leadership role since the launch of the joint venture between Oprah and Discovery Communications.  

Liguori was most recently president of entertainment for Fox Broadcasting Company prior to joining Discovery in 2009.  

Liguori’s new position might have been the result of problems Discovery Communications is having with OWN.  Previously Discovery CEO David Zaslav acknowledged ratings for OWN, were “below our expectations” — and that his company will have to spend more than the $215 million it has already invested. He did not specify how much more that investment would be.

ILLUMEDIA, the successor organization to the old Chicago Print Production Club, holds its inaugural meeting Wednesday, May 12 on the second floor of the UBS Tower, with featured speakers Phil Tadros, Creative Director/Founder of Doejo and Hugh Park Jedwill, CEO of Mobile Anthem.

The executive board shows advertising’s commitment to the updated organization now focusing on all things digital: President, Colleen Capola, Associate Director/Product Quality, Leo Burnett; EVP, Doug Kohler, CEO of Mundocom North America; Secretary, Gentre Vartan, SVP/Director of Marketing and Treasurer, Ray Redmond, Advertising & Commercial Sales Director at Metromedia Technologies. 

LATEST ADDITION to the May 19 non-fiction (i.e. reality TV) pitch workshop is Chicago’s Peggy Allen, VP/programming at ABC7’s new digital station Livewell Network, currently available on Comcast.

She joins New York-based Peter Hamilton who will talk about reality TV’s “sweet spots,” i.e., what the networks are looking for and how much they’ll pay, and how a newbie can become involved in this fast-growing area of television entertainment.  

Towers Productions’ Jonathan Towers and Mike Schmeidler will tell their experiences with non-fiction cable shows.

The evening event is being held at Fletcher Cameras & Lenses, starting at 5 p.m. See the Reel’s Calendar for more details.

TRIBECA FLASHPOINT ACADEMY’S Howard Tullman is one of three finalists for the prestigious ITA CityLights Awards to technology visionairies and leaders of the industry.  He was nominated for his support of the Chicago technology community, his unceasing volunteerism and serving as an ambassador of the industry.

The other nominees were Sandee Kastrul, president/founder of i.c. stars, which provides opportunities for inner-city young adults through the strength of the internet, and Matt Moog, founder, Viewpoints, for his development of Built In Chicago, whose imission is to connect, educate and promote Chicago’s growing digital community.

The Reel welcomes your news!  New projects, new personnel, new facilities, new ideas – send to Ruth@reelchicago.com.