Golden Globes Announce Return After Controversy—But Will People Watch?

Topline

The Golden Globe Awards will return to airways in January, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced Tuesday, after the ceremony took a year-long hiatus after reports alleged influence-peddling in the organization and revealed a lack of any real diversity in its membership.

Key Facts

The 80th Golden Globe Awards, which honor both TV and movies, will air on Tuesday, January 10 on NBC at 8 p.m. ET, instead of its usual Sunday night time slot.

Nominations will be announced on November 12.

HFPA said that 103 new voters have been added to its ranks, and the Golden Globes voting body is now 51.5% racially diverse, with 10% of members being Black, 19.5% being Latinx, 12% being Asian and 10% being Middle Eastern.

HFPA, NBC and dick clark productions have signed a one-year-deal.

The Wrap first reported last week on the ceremony’s return.

Tangent

Ratings for award shows have been dwindling over the last few years, particularly after the pandemic lockdowns, when shows had to air virtually. The 2021 Globes hit its second-lowest audience ever with 6.9 million viewers. This year’s Oscars had its second-worst audience in history, and the Grammys saw only a 1.4% increase in its viewership from its 2021 record low.

Key Background

Shortly before the 2021 ceremony, the Los Angeles Times published an expose on the HFPA, which organizes the awards. The paper reported HFPA had no Black members and that there were conflicts of interest, with some voters receiving lavish gifts in return for their support of a production. Some entertainment companies like WarnerMedia (now Discovery Warner Bros.) and Amazon announced a boycott of the awards in response. NBC declined to air the ceremony to give HFPA time to make corrections, and said it would only air the 2023 ceremony if it followed through on its promised reforms. The 2022 winners were announced unceremoniously online.

Surprising Fact

Amid the protests against HFPA, actor Tom Cruise returned his three Golden Globe awards.

Further Reading

Golden Globes 2022: ‘The Power Of The Dog,’ ‘West Side Story’ Win Big (Forbes)

2022 Golden Globes: Here Are The Nominees (Forbes)

2022 Golden Globes Will Be ‘Private Event’ Without Livestream Or TV Broadcast (Forbes)

Golden Globes Set To Go On Without Celebrity Attendance Or Red Carpet (Forbes)