Joe Biden, Entertainment Industry Reps Meet to Find 'Meaningful Solutions' to Gun Violence

WASHINGTON--Entertainment industry representatives met with Vice President Joe Biden Thursday evening as part of the White House's ongoing dialogue about gun violence in America. Although some administration officials would like Hollywood to reduce the amount of violence it puts in movies and video games, MPAA chief Chris Dodd, who attended the meeting on behalf of the studio heads, has proposed a different approach: providing parents with more information so they can better decide whether or not they want their children watching certain films.

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Forced regulations on content, Dodd told The Hollywood Reporter this week, are out of the question.

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In addition to Dodd, others attending the meeting included Comcast executive vice president David L. Cohen, Directors Guild of America executive director Jay Roth, Independent Film & Television Alliance president/CEO Jean Prewitt, National Association of Broadcasters CEO Gordon Smith, and National Association of Theatre Owners president John Fithian.

After wrapping up the session, the group released the following statement: “The entertainment community appreciates being included in the dialogue around the Administration’s efforts to confront the complex challenge of gun violence in America. This industry has a longstanding commitment to provide parents the tools necessary to make the right viewing decisions for their families. We welcome the opportunity to share that history and look forward to doing our part to seek meaningful solutions.”

Biden is expected to put together a report on his dialogue with various groups, including the National Riffle Association, for President Barack Obama to review as part of an effort to reduce gun violence in America.

STORY: MPAA's Chris Dodd Rules Out Mandatory Curbs on Gun Violence in Entertainment

Although the government cannot force the entertainment industry to reduce gun violence in films, administration officials could strongly urge filmmakers to make voluntary changes.

The NRA on Thursday released a statement criticizing the White House task force.

"We were disappointed with how little this meeting had to do with keeping our children safe and how much it had to do with an agenda to attack the Second Amendment," according to the statement. "While claiming that no policy proposals would be 'prejudged,' this Task Force spent most of its time on proposed restrictions on lawful firearms owners -- honest, taxpaying, hardworking Americans...We will not allow law-abiding gun owners to be blamed for the acts of criminals and madmen."