Illinois refuses to release why 'Chicago Fire' got tax breaks

CHICAGO (AP) - Illinois officials say they won't detail expenditures the TV show "Chicago Fire" made to qualify for nearly $16 million in tax breaks last year.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the move is a departure from last year, when the state publicly released the names and amounts show producers spent on actors, extras, crew and businesses that worked on the series' pilot episode.

State officials say show owner NBCUniversal Media argued that Illinois was disclosing proprietary information that would yield competitive harm. The state agreed that the information was exempt from release under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's staff is reviewing the newspaper's appeal of the state's decision.