Academy to expand its voting ranks

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - the body that oversees the Oscars - has announced that it will be relaxing its entry qualifications for voters in order to expand and diversify its ranks.

An article in 'The LA Times' has revealed that the academy plans to relax a cap on membership that has restricted new admittances since 2004.

Last year LA Times published a study that showed that nearly 94% of academy voters are white and 77% are male. Blacks make up about 2% of the academy and Latinos less than 2%. Oscar voters have a median age of 62.

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The academy has about 5,800 voting members; in recent years, fewer than 200 people have been invited to join annually. The number of openings is determined by how many members have retired, resigned or died.

To qualify for membership you either have to have been nominated for an Oscar, be nominated for a place by two colleagues in your 'branch' or receive an endorsement by the branch's membership committee and staff. This has resulted in the overall membership not growing by more than 30 members a year.

Don Hall, who is on the Board of Governors, is quoted as saying this is a good move that will allow a greater number of accomplished people in his technical field to be recognised. "We can now invite in others who haven't won awards but are just as deserving," he said. "Without the quota, we can get them in."