Accusations of racism and sexism led to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) losing its lucrative TV deal. The Golden Globe organizer is now being sold to the highest bidder.
Just updated
–
After the Norwegian journalist Kjersti Flaa sued the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in order to abuse its power in an attempt to protect existing HFPA members from competition from other reporters, a landslide of accusations began from several fronts against the formerly powerful press organization.
Scarlett Johansson and Tom Cruise was among the Hollywood stars which went out against the organization.
Now the HFPA has put itself up for sale, writes the film industry magazine Variety.
–It comes after HFPA president Todd Boehley wanted to buy the organization and entered into negotiations with the board.
On Friday 12 May, the HFPA announced that the organization had set up a special committee “to determine the strategic interest of the organization and the values of outsiders”.
according to Deadline the organization is considering dropping its non-profit profile.
Sharp tongues believe that the scheme of putting the organization up for sale is mostly done to create buzz and really is a mere formality which will enable Boehley to buy the company.
Mighty film prize givers
HFPA is the association of foreign film journalists in Hollywood and was long known as one of the most powerful organizations in Los Angeles.
As organizers and distributors of the Golden Globe Awards, HFPA members have annually contributed to give a clue as to which films have the greatest Oscar chances. The Golden Globe Awards have been held since 1944, the year after the press organization was established.
–It happened after initiative of journalists in the British Daily Mail – to ensure foreign journalists access to exclusive interviews with the biggest movie stars.
The fact that the Golden Globe Awards take place shortly before the Oscars have made the award an important indicator of who is best placed to win Hollywood’s most coveted film awards.
Attempts at economic growth
According to HFPA, the idea of outsourcing the press organization is to “optimize the value of HFPA’s various assets and continue to strengthen the organization’s position in the market at the same time as they strengthen relations with various interest centers”.
– As we announced last year, HFPA started a process of change and transformation that addresses issues of diversity, governance and behavior, says HFPA President Helen Hoehne in a statement.
“As we continue this process, we have entered the phase of determining the best course of action regarding the implementation of HFPA’s mission, including how we can achieve optimal economic and commercial growth for the Golden Globe brand in the future,” the statement said.
Ugly revelations
HFPA’s move comes after a little over a year of riots for the almost 80-year-old press organization that has received lucrative fees from NBC Universal and other partners for the Golden Globe Awards.
After the lawsuit to Norwegian Kjersti Flaa and one Los Angeles Timesarticle that revealed potential financial injustice, as well as the absence of some black members of the group, HFPA is reduced to a shadow of its former self.
A number of journalists have chosen to join other press organizations, such as the Critics Choice Association and this year’s Golden Globe Awards went almost unnoticed with distribution via Twitter.
–
