Golden Globes organisation asks members to approve ‘transformational’ changes amid widespread criticism

Hollywood Foreign Press Association has been criticised for a lack of diversity among its 86 members

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has announced proposals for “transformational change” amid criticism of its Golden Globes voting practices.

Among the proposed changes are an increase in membership by 50 per cent over the next year and a half, and the introduction of measures to recruit Black members. The organisation currently comprises 86 members, none of whom are Black.

The HFPA has been accused of discrimination and other problematic practices, such as the acceptance of “freebies”.

In a letter sent to its members, the organisation’s board said that it has spent two months working on a proposal for “structural changes to the organisation”.

If the membership does not approve and implement the proposed changes, it wrote, then “more serious measures” would be taken.

The board told members that it was ready to resign if the “roadmap” was not approved and put in place in a “timely” manner.

Currently, all HFPA members are international journalists based in Los Angeles. Among the proposed changes to the organisation is the abandonment of the requirement to live in southern California.

Also put forward is a ban on the acceptance of promotional items, and it is proposed that members will have their names, biographies and affiliations listed online.

Before the proposed changes were drafted, the Golden Globes faced criticism from PR firms, members of the media and those within the entertainment industry for its lack of diversity.

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After Borat Subsequent Moviefilm was awarded Best Musical or Comedy Film at this year’s Globes, Sacha Baron Cohen said: “Thank you to the all-white Hollywood Foreign Press.”

Last month, the former president of the HFPA was expelled after sharing an article which criticised the Black Lives Matter movement.