Golden Globes 2022 Canceled by NBC Amid HFPA Controversy

The Golden Globes will no longer air on NBC in 2022 amid growing controversy surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). According to IndieWire, NBC decided that the Golden Globes will no longer be able to air on the network due to this controversy, which includes the fact that the HFPA has no Black members in its voting body of 87, in addition to other issues with the organization. Although, the network said that they were hopeful that if the HFPA does make necessary changes to the organization, that the annual awards ceremony will be able to air on NBC in 2023.

“We continue to believe that the HFPA is committed to meaningful reform,” NBC’s statement about this update read. “However, change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right. As such, NBC will not air the 2022 Golden Globes. Assuming the organization executes on its plan, we are hopeful we will be in a position to air the show in January 2023.”

The HFPA has been under scrutiny ever since the Los Angeles Times published a piece in February which included allegations of self-dealing, a “culture of corruption,” and a lack of voting transparency. At the time, it was also alleged that the organization opted not to hire a diversity consultation 2020 in light of the Black Lives Matter protests that took place all across the country and the rest of the world. Additionally, the report also outlined that there were no Black members in their voting body. In early May, the HFPA did provide details on some of the changes they were making in response to this scrutiny, per Variety. Their plan, which was approved on Thursday, includes details for increasing the number of people of color in their ranks. However, multiple organizations and celebrity figures have spoken out to say that these changes may not go far enough in addressing these wide-ranging issues.

WarnerMedia, Netflix, and 100 Hollywood publicity firms have all released statements about the HFPA’s updates in the last few days. On Friday, the group of publicists released a statement in which they said that they would “continue to refrain from any sanctioned HFPA activities” until actual change is made. Their statement continued, “We stand ready to collaborate with the HFPA to ensure that the next Golden Globes — be it in 2022 or 2023 — represents the values of our creative community. We are reminded of the HFPA’s 1943 motto, conceived by the original group of foreign journalists: ‘Unity Without Discrimination of Religion or Race.’ Seventy-eight years hence, your commitment to swift and deliberate action remains essential.”