The Hollywood Foreign Press Association initiated legal action in federal court in Los Angeles on Tuesday, filing an antitrust lawsuit against Penske Media Corporation, which owns Variety and acquired control of the Golden Globe Awards. The complaint contends that the acquisition process involved fraudulent conduct and that PMC engineered circumstances to weaken the awards show prior to the takeover.
The HFPA, a nonprofit organization of international journalists, operated the Golden Globes for approximately 80 years before a diversity-related controversy emerged following a report in February 2021 documenting the absence of Black members within the organization. This revelation prompted industry practitioners to withdraw support and led to NBC’s decision to cease broadcasting the ceremony in 2022. The HFPA subsequently implemented reform measures and negotiated a sale of the awards to entities affiliated with PMC and other investors.
The lawsuit alleges that HFPA members were presented with inaccurate information when approving the transaction. According to the complaint, members received assurances regarding permanent voting authority and attendance privileges at future ceremonies. The suit claims PMC subsequently limited voting rights exclusively to individuals accepting positions within the Penske Trust structure, resulting in a voting mechanism controlled by the acquiring entity rather than functioning as an autonomous journalistic body.
The complaint further asserts that PMC exercises dominant market position across multiple sectors, including trade publications, secondary awards programs, and advertising markets for industry awards consideration, and has taken actions to prevent HFPA member participation. The HFPA had anticipated ceasing operations following the sale but postponed dissolution efforts to examine alleged irregularities connected to the transaction. The organization is pursuing minimum damages of $150 million.
PMC issued a statement rejecting the allegations, characterizing the lawsuit as frivolous and noting that the transaction concluded more than three years ago following standard approval procedures. The company also criticized the HFPA’s historical conduct and suggested the legal action represents an attempt to secure ancillary benefits from the awards property.
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