The news caused great repercussion in the American media. Acquisition of the brand was approved by the State of California Golden Globes after the breakup Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) – the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which organizes these awards – pby Eldridge from Dick Clark Productions and Todd Boehly. A paradigm shift is being announced for one of the world’s most prestigious film awards; It’s the start of the Oscars and a true thermometer for judging what happens each year in American cinema and television.
What happened to this situation where a journalists’ association disappeared and its most important aspect was bought by a large media group? A little history. HFPA was founded in 1943. The non-profit organization was initially run by the British tabloid newspaper ‘Daily Mail’ and was divided into two groups consisting of foreign correspondents and foreign press based in Los Angeles. Both met in 1955. The first award ceremony was held in January 1944. Golden Globes. The winning film was ‘Bernadette’s Song’. HFPA has 95 permanent membersIt currently includes the chairman and, from 2021, the German Helen Hoehne and 15 directors.
In recent years, a campaign was launched against him alleging bad practices. ‘The Los Angeles Times published an article in 2021 explaining that there were no black members in the association. The solution was to expand the voter pool with non-press people from the Los Angeles area. In any case, it was an extremely false attack. The black film journalists of the California city are Americans and work for the same ‘Los Angeles Times’ and other publications, so they are not part of the association.
Who is the new owner?
American businessman Todd Boehly is behind this sale, which was approved by the vast majority of HFPA’s 95 full-time members.. Like the late Silvio Berlusconi, he also became the owner of a football club; in his case he’s a Londoner Chelsea F.C.. The operation was worth around €5,000 million and Boehly took control of the club in May 2022, three months after previous owner Roman Abramovich put the club up for sale after being sanctioned by the British government over his relations with Vladimir Putin.
Boehly is co-founder, chairman and CEO of Eldridge Industries.. Fighting for ownership of Le Cirque du SoleilA process that the circus company entered after another financial engineering maneuver when it entered an economic crisis and among its creditors was an American investment company controlled by the same Eldridge Industries. It also owns 20% of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team and the publications ‘The Hollywood Reporter’ and ‘Variety’. –Announcing the acquisition of the foreign press association- and Dick Clark ProductionsA television company founded in 1957 by radio and television host Dick Clark that co-produced the HFPA and the Golden Globe awards and was technically responsible for the television program. Boehly is also a shareholder of the hotel where the Globes gala was held.
In short, the decades-respected Golden Globe brand was basically acquired by: Todd Boehly, who already has significant control over this issue from other areas connected to the association and awards. HFPA members will continue to vote on awards, and some will become employees of Boehly companies. What is unknown at this time is what changes the new owner will bring or what commercial purposes the Golden Globes will have now that they are owned by a for-profit organization.