Female directors who have worked on TV shows like "American Horror Story" and "Scandal" say quotas are necessary to obtain more gender and racial diversity in Hollywood.
"I never want to be hired because I'm a woman director, but maybe at this moment there needs to be quotas," said Maggie Kiley, speaking at a Television Critics Association (TCA) round table Wednesday with female directors organized by the FX network.
"If that's what it takes, then that's what it takes," added Rachel Goldberg, one of seven directors on the panel. The University of California at Los Angeles' most recent annual report on diversity in the industry found that while racial minorities make up 40 percent of the U.S. population, they are only 10 percent of Hollywood producers. As for women, which make up half of the population, the same figure applies - 10 percent. "Quotas are necessary so women can get that first job, and also to change the culture," so that people get used to seeing women directors, said panelist Meera Menon, who just finished shooting an episode of "Snowfall," a TV mini-series about the crack epidemic in Los Angeles.