After nearly a centennial, the HFPA is no more
After 80 years, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), founder of the Golden Globes, is disbanding.
This move comes after Eldridge Industries and Dick Clark Productions (DCP) purchased the Golden Globe assets, rights, and properties from the HFPA. Eldridge Industries, which part owns Dick Clark Productions alongside Penske Media, plans on continuing the tele-broadcast of the awards and aims on increasing viewership.
The HFPA was recently rocked by scandal due to claims that the organization’s members made racist and sexist remarks. There were also claims that the HFPA’s members asked for favors from celebrities and movie studios in exchange for votes.
Brendan Fraser, a known Hollywood star, also accused one of their members of sexual assault and boycotted the event.
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In 2021, a Los Angeles Times investigation showed that the HFPA did not include any black journalists.
Their 2022 awards were dropped by NBC due to this criticism. Even when the awards show returned to NBC in 2023, the Golden Globes Awards only had 6.3 million viewers. This was an all-time low.
Too Little Too Late?
The HFPA has made attempts to fix their image by hiring Shaun R. Harper, executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center. They also revealed plans for a reform package in 2021. These plans included an increase in membership focusing on including members from underrepresented minorities.
These reforms were criticized largely due to them coming into effect too late to affect the next Golden Globe Awards. Time’s Up (an organization that supports sexual assault victims) along with a group of PR firms said that the changes were vague and did not contain any plans for accountability.
Eldridge Industries plans on continuing to allow all 310 current voters of the HFPA to vote in the 2024 Golden Globe Awards. They will also create a non-profit organization called the Golden Globe Foundation in order to continue the HFPA’s legacy of charity.
Banner Image Paulo Correa
