HFPA Adds 215 New International Voters to Golden Globes Voting Body

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has revealed that it is expanding the voting body for the 81st Golden Globe Awards, adding another 215 international voters. This comes as part of the organization’s ongoing efforts to continue diversifying its membership following a Los Angeles Times exposes that led to widespread criticism of the HFPA over demographics and allegations of awards campaign misconduct.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association was founded in 1943 as a cultural bridge between Tinseltown and millions of people worldwide. Over the decades, it has hosted the Golden Globe Awards — the premier event honoring achievements in television and film — and has grown to represent journalists from 76 countries worldwide.

As the organization has come under scrutiny over its lack of diversity and a range of issues related to ethics and conduct, it has undergone drastic reforms in recent months. The HFPA admitted 21 new members this past year as part of the changes.

HFPA Adds 128 Journalists to Voting Body

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has recruited another 128 journalists to join its voting body that selects the nominees and winners of the Golden Globe Awards. This brings the number of HFPA voters to 310, representing journalists from 76 countries.

These new voters were recruited from international industry organizations, as well as active outreach to esteemed foreign film festivals and journalism professionals. This is the first time in HFPA history that non-members have been added to consider the nominations and awards, doubling the size of the HFPA’s voting body while increasing its diversity.

Applicants to become an HFPA international voter must possess verified entertainment journalistic clippings from global media outlets, including print, broadcast, radio, and photography. The HFPA Credentials Committee reviewed these applications, an objective group of outside independent journalism and entertainment industry professionals.

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Eligible candidates will be subject to a Golden Globe Awards Code of Conduct and will not be allowed to vote unless they are in good standing with the organization. This new policy is a part of the HFPA’s “sweeping changes” to the organization since it was exposed to public criticism in 2021.

The HFPA has also announced that it will not hold any HFPA exclusive press conferences this year, following a series of scandals involving questions that were asked at press conferences by HFPA members during the award season. In addition, the HFPA said it would no longer accept press requests to interview Golden Globes nominees and winners.

This change comes as the HFPA is amid a series of sweeping changes to its bylaws designed to improve ethics and conduct, expand its diversity, increase its transparency, and strengthen its governance. The HFPA also announced that it has formally adopted a membership bylaw that allows for the admission of new members as long as they have a verifiable history in the entertainment journalism industry and a commitment to upholding its Code of Conduct.

The HFPA is still trying to restore trust among stakeholders after the Los Angeles Times exposed its members’ lack of diversity and other bias issues. Still, this announcement is an encouraging sign that it may be making some progress. Ultimately, the HFPA will have to make a concerted effort to get this right to avoid being a casualty of its success.