President: Hollywood Should Provide Opportunity to Everyone

President Obama has weighed in on the Oscar diversity controversy, saying it is reflective of a broader issue of fairness.

Asked by reporters to comment, he said he thought that "when everybody's story gets told that makes for better art." He was not out to slam Hollywood, saying that he thought California was an example of "incredible diversity."

But when all those stories get told, he said, "it makes everybody feel part of one American family."

As to his prescriptions for what may ail the creative community. "I think, as a whole, the industry should do what every other industry should do, which is to look for talent and provide opportunity to everybody. I think the Oscar debate is really just an expression of this broader issue, which is making sure that everybody is getting a fair shot."

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.