
As a film enthusiast, I must admit that the Golden Globe Awards, which recently took place on CBS and Paramount+ from the Beverly Hilton, has a unique history – some might even say it’s got a bit of a chequered past and present. You see, what makes it stand out is not just its storied history but also the fact that its current owners, who acquired the brand following the disbandment of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, also run major film trade magazines and a production company with films contending for awards. This arrangement might strike some as an old-fashioned ‘conflict of interest,’ although they prefer to call it ‘vertical integration’ these days.
However, this potential issue seems to have slipped from public scrutiny and discussion. It didn’t seem to matter much to those who tuned in to watch, or to the winners sent home with an award, or even to the broader industry that benefits financially from its existence. The idea of a possible conflict has become somewhat hazy in the collective consciousness.