After eight decades, the Golden Globe Awards are changing hands.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has finally decided to call it quits after battling scandals for the past few years. The organization, which was started in 1943 by non-US journalists and conceived the awards with the motto “Unity Without Discrimination of Religion or Race,” will be retired when new owners take over the coveted awards considered a precursor to the Oscars.
Eldridge Industries, a holding company owned by the billionaire investor Todd Boehly, and Dick Clark Productions, part of Penske Media, agreed to buy the Golden Globe assets for an undisclosed price, the New York Times reported yesterday (June 12). Both Eldridge and Dick Clark have produced the Globes telecast for decades.
The proceeds from the sale will go to a new non-profit, the Golden Globe Foundation, which will continue the HFPA’s philanthropic efforts.
A brief history of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and its mishaps
 1944: First awards presentation for distinguished achievements in the film industry granted by the Hollywood Foreign Correspondents Association—the precursor to HFPA—with an informal ceremony at 20th Century Fox.
1945: Members of the association hold a contest to find a design for a statuette that would best represent the overall aims of the organization. Then president Marina Cisternas proposed the idea of a shiny globe on a cylindrical pedestal. Hollywood Foreign Correspondents Association hosts its first gala social event with a formal banquet at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
1951: The association decided to divide the best film, actor and actress nominees into two categories—drama, and musical or comedy.
1952: The HFPA created the Cecil B. deMille Award to recognize “outstanding contribution to the entertainment field.” The award’s first recipient was deMille himself. The American filmmaker and director made 70 feature films between 1914 and 1956, of which only seven were profitable.
Late 1960s: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had the Globes temporarily booted from the airwaves, accusing it of misleading the public as to how winners were determined.
1990s and 2000s: Infamous movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, who is serving time over a string of sex crimes, was known for manipulating the sub-100 member HFPA for decades.
2007: A new category—Best Animated Feature Film—is introduced. The first year’s nominees are Cars, Happy Feet, and Monster House, with Pixar’s Cars taking the Globe.
2018: The Carol Burnett Award is created to honor excellence in television. The first recipient is actress Carol Burnett herself.
2021: A scathing Los Angeles Times investigation reveals the HFPA has no Black journalists in its ranks. Long-standing broadcast partner NBC drops the show. The showrunners vow to bring reform to weed out unethical, discriminatory practices in a bid to expand its membership in terms of number and diversity.
2022: A pared-down event takes place but it’s neither televised nor live-streamed.
2023: NBC signs a contract with HFPA, for that year only.
Quotable: Golden Globes is “evolving”
“Today marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the Golden Globes. My partners at DCP and I are grateful to Helen [Hoehne, former HFPA presiden] and team for their commitment to the successful implementation of a robust approach to governance, the expansion of the diverse and international voting body, implementing a professional, safe, and accountable environment, and trusting new ownership with a new direction for the Globes.” —Todd Boehly, chairman of Eldridge, in a statement announcing the deal on June 12
Person of interest: Todd Boehly
The HFPA approved Eldridge Industries’ proposal to create a private entity to manage its Golden Globes assets, with a separate nonprofit to preserve its charitable and philanthropic programs, in July 2022. At the time, Eldridge chairman and CEO Boehly was appointed interim CEO at the HFPA. Boehly’s job was to oversee the reforms as well as help identify and recruit candidates for a permanent CEO.
The Golden Globes, by the digit
80 years:Â How long the Golden Globe Awards have been around for.
310:Â All of the current voters in the HFPA who will be eligible to cast ballots for the next ceremony in January 2024
27: Categories of awards at the Golden Globe Awards; 14 in movies and 13 in television.
3: How many Golden Globe trophies Tom Cruise handed back to protest the lack of diversity among the HFPA ranks
$50 million: How much HFPA gave to entertainment-related charities over the last three decades
220+: Countries and territories that watch the Golden Globe Awards
$75,000: How much current HFPA members, largely entertainment reporters, are expected to earn annually for five years, as employees of a for-profit venture focused on expanding the Golden Globes brand
One more thing: The next Golden Globe Awards
The 81st annual Golden Globe Awards will be held Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. The NBC contract has expired and the new owners are on the lookout for a broadcast partner.
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