Film Academy pledges to double membership of women, minorities by 2020

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, organizers of Hollywood's annual Oscar awards ceremony, pledged on Friday to double its membership of women and minorities by 2020. The statement comes after a backlash over the absence of actors or filmmakers of colour in this year's Oscars nominations, prompting actor Will Smith and filmmaker Michael Moore, among a handful of others, to shun the awards ceremony in protest. (Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli)