With new owners, a change in the TV network, and a membership renewal for the organization, the Golden Globes hope for a fresh opportunity to shake off years of bad reputation as it announces nominations on Monday for the best films and television shows of the year.
New Changes at the Golden Globes
For decades, the Golden Globes were owned and operated by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) – a diverse group of around 100 entertainment journalists writing for international outlets, who were often ridiculed in the industry for their alleged elitism and opacity. This criticism exploded in 2021, when a report by the Los Angeles Times revealed that the HFPA had no Black members, leading to a Hollywood boycott. Since then, the Golden Globes have struggled to stay afloat.
New Changes at the Golden Globes
In June, the awards were purchased by a group of private investors including American billionaire Todd Boehly, the HFPA itself was dissolved, and a new plan was set to restore the Golden Globes’ luster. As part of the deal, former HFPA members were hired as paid staff at the new Golden Globes company, where they are now paid to watch films, vote, and contribute to writing articles for the awards’ website. This has raised questions about potential conflicts of interest.
New Changes at the Golden Globes
Complicating matters further, the new owners of the awards include Penske Media – which runs the production company behind the Golden Globes broadcast, as well as the trade platforms Variety and The Hollywood Reporter – and Eldridge, which has a stake in the film studio and regular Golden Globes competitor A24. The editorial board of the Los Angeles Times noted this year that “there is something inappropriate about a Golden Globes voter getting paid to write an article about an actor who may be nominated for a Golden Globe that will be awarded on the stage of the show where they work.” However, the new owners of the Golden Globes have defended the changes.
New Changes at the Golden Globes
They argue that paying voters $75,000 for residing in Hollywood ends a flawed system where broke independent journalists accepted lavish junkets they couldn’t afford themselves, and collected costly gifts from studios to help secure a living. In an effort to improve the credibility and diversity of the awards, the group has added over 200 non-member (and unpaid) voters from around the world and appointed a new board that includes respected industry figures like former Variety editor-in-chief Tim Gray. Gray, who is now the executive vice president of the Golden Globes, said in August: “Big changes have already begun at the Golden Globes, and I believe people in Hollywood and around the world will be pleased when they see integrity restored while the sense of fun remains.”
The New Golden Globe Ceremony
The new Golden Globe ceremony will take place on January 7. CBS Network will broadcast the event. The network takes on the task of airing the ceremony after the final round of the NFL’s regular season games. CBS management will hope to significantly improve ratings, after the 2023 Golden Globes ratings dropped to a record low of 6.3 million viewers, even as other shows like the Oscars have bounced back from viewership lows due to the pandemic. In 2020, the Golden Globes attracted over 18 million viewers. Giving hope for the future, industry giants like Steven Spielberg and Eddie Murphy returned to the last ceremony, even as prominent winners like Cate Blanchett stayed away. Cedric the Entertainer and Wilmer Valderrama will announce the nominations for the 81st Golden Globes on the CBS Mornings show at 1:30 PM GMT on Monday. Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” is likely to be among the nominees for best drama, while the best comedy category is expected to include the other half of this year’s viral box office phenomenon – “Barbie.” New categories for “Best Cinematic Achievement or Box Office Revenue” and “Best Stand-Up Comedian” have been added in an effort to feature more well-known names. Stars like Leonardo DiCaprio (Killers of the Flower Moon), Emma Stone (Poor Things), Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer), and Ryan Gosling (Barbie) are widely expected to receive nominations.
It will be
The organizers are very hopeful for their acceptance of the party invitations.
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