Listen Live
Donate
 on air
Schedule

KCRW

Read & Explore

  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Food
  • Culture
  • Events

Listen

  • Live Radio
  • Music
  • Podcasts
  • Full Schedule

Information

  • About
  • Careers
  • Help / FAQ
  • Newsletters
  • Contact

Support

  • Become a Member
  • Become a VIP
  • Ways to Give
  • Shop
  • Member Perks

Become a Member

Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

DonateGive Monthly

Copyright 2025 KCRW. All rights reserved.

Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
Cookie Policy
|FCC Public Files

Back to Hollywood Breakdown

Hollywood Breakdown

How is Hollywood responding to George Floyd protests?

As Black Lives Matter protests and marches have continued throughout the week, Hollywood has given mixed responses.  Some studios put out bland corporate statements, while others have donated money to social justice causes.

  • rss
Download MP3
  • Share
KCRW placeholderBy Matthew Belloni • Jun 5, 2020 • 4m Listen

As Black Lives Matter protests and marches have continued throughout the week, Hollywood has given mixed reactions. Some studios put out bland corporate statements, while others have donated money to social justice causes.

Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch sent a company-wide memo supporting peaceful protests. He said his company’s culture “embraces and fosters diversity and inclusion.” This comes as a surprise to many media analysts. They say Fox News programs and hosts Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity have sowed seeds of division with years of racially-inflamed rhetoric.

CNN host Don Lemon challenged wealthy members of Hollywood to do more than watch TV. He pushed them to come out and help young protestors. Actor Jamie Foxx sent a similar message from a Black Lives Matter rally in San Francisco.

Some in the industry have shown up to protests, including actors Keke Palmer in Los Angeles and John Boyega in London, who both made powerful speeches. Boyega questioned the viability of his career after speaking out. Directors including Jordan Peele, Rian Johnson, and Phil Lord spoke up on Twitter, saying they would work with Boyega and others who have been active in protests.

But the people who often make those hiring decisions sit in high-ranking corporate jobs at studios, a place where there’s been little recent improvement in diversity among executive ranks.

  • KCRW placeholder

    Matthew Belloni

    founding partner of Puck News

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Kim Masters

    partner/writer at Puck News, host of KCRW's “The Business.”

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Kaitlin Parker

    Producer, 'The Business' and 'Hollywood Breakdown'

    NewsCultureEntertainmentBusiness & Economy
Back to Hollywood Breakdown