The Hollywood Foreign Press has taken over the Golden Globes announcement ceremony, and has announced that pretty much any TV network is invited to cover without the threat of WGA picketing. The new plan was obviously announced in the wake of HFPA and NBC coming to a parting of the ways.
“Following reports from insiders of financial bickering with NBC, the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. said Friday that it will take complete control over Sunday’s event,” according to Variety’s Josef Adalian and Michael Schneider. “That means any network that would like to offer live coverage can. The WGA, meanwhile, confirmed Friday that it will not dispatch pickets to the event, in light of the format change to a general news conference rather than as an NBC exclusive event.
“After discussions with NBC, Hollywood Foreign Press Association president Jorge Camara today announced that the HFPA will have complete control of its 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards Announcement that is scheduled to take place Sunday, January 13 at 6:00 pm Pacific in the International Ballroom of The Beverly Hilton,” the HFPA said in a statement. “Under the new arrangement, there will be no restrictions placed on media outlets covering the press conference.”
“NBC says it will still offer live coverage of the event, even though it no longer has an exclusive. In a statement, WGA said: “In light of this change to the program, the WGA gave the HFPA our assurances that there would be no picket of their press conference on Sunday.”