Academy CEO apologises to members of Asian descent

Los Angeles: Academy CEO Dawn Hudson has issued an apology to 25 members, including Ang Lee, George Takei and Sandra Oh, who signed a letter of protest against "racially insensitive jokes" in last month's Oscars ceremony.

Hudson called their concerns 'valid' and promised that "future Oscar telecasts (will) be more culturally sensitive," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The brief response that was emailed to the members, acknowledged their criticisms, which centred on a skit in which host Chris Rock introduced three Asian children as Academy accountants and some comments by presenter Sacha Baron Cohen.

Hudson emphasised that it 'was never the Academy's intent to offend anyone" and that the organisation' will be exercising more oversight" going forward "to ensure that material in future telecasts (will) be more culturally sensitive."

Her personal apology follows a statement issued by an Academy spokesperson earlier that expressed "regrets that any aspect of the Oscar telecast was offensive."