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KNX Spotlight: Fade To White

(KNX 1070) — Days ahead of the Academy Awards, KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO took a comprehensive look Friday at the criticism Hollywood is receiving over race and gender discrimination.

"KNX Spotlight: Fade To White" focused on recent controversy over comments from critics who say there's a noticeable absence of blacks in this year's major Oscar nomination categories.

UCLA Professor Darnell Hunt, director of the Center for African-American Studies told KNX anchor Diane Thompson and chief investigative reporter Charles Feldman this year's outcome wasn't all that surprising.

"To become a member of the Academy, you have to have prominent credits or you have to be nominated by someone in the Academy or you have to be approved by the Board of Governors," said Hunt. "But, of course, that board is mostly white and male."

When it comes to Latinos and other minorities, Alex Nogales, president of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, said casting directors are reluctant to go very far beyond Hollywood's borders - at least locally.

"The agents don't go east of La Cienega Boulevard, the executives at the television networks, at the film companies don't go east to find out talent, so they go abroad and they bring in directors and the actors that are doing very well in those countries," he said. "It's very disheartening."

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