When NBC announced last May that it was withdrawing its support for the broadcast of the 2022 Golden Globe Awards ceremony, most people assumed the Hollywood Foreign Press Association would likewise take a one-year hiatus to focus on reorganizing its membership and business practices. Last week in an unexpected turn of events, the HFPA sent a letter to the major studios stating that it would give out its annual awards, though it did not provide any details on the awards categories, its process for nominations and voting. An awards event – of an undetermined format – has been scheduled for January 9th, 2022.
The HFPA was thrown into disarray when the L. A. Times published a searing expose of the organization’s complete lack of diversity among its members and numerous unethical business practices. Since that time, the association has been active in its attempt to restructure and regain its credibility with both Hollywood and the public. Even if another network picks up the 2022 broadcast, it is unclear whether the stars and studios could be enlisted to participate in a televised event. The HFPA may take a similar approach this year to the one it followed in 2008 during the writers’ strike. In that year, the HFPA held one press conference to announce nominations and another to announce the winners.