With the clock ticking and no television deal in place for the Golden Globes yet, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has taken the unprecedented step of announcing a date for the 2019 ceremony without a TV network. While no broadcaster is being unveiled, I hear long-time home NBC is close to a deal to retain the poplar awards special.

The 76th Golden Globe Awards will take place Jan. 6, 2019 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, with the submission website opening today. The nominations announcement is set for Dec. 6. (full timetable under the post.)

In April, HFPA and Globes producer dick clark productions’ exclusive negotiation period with NBC ended without a new deal, with HFPA and DCP announcing that they were starting the process of “evaluating offers from other interested parties.”

Over the past two months, reps for HFPA and DCP met with various networks. I hear CBS has filed a proposal and Fox has had discussions about a potential bid. Still, NBC, which had been the Globes’ TV home since 1993, has had the upper hand throughout the entire process with the right to match any competitive offer. Reps for DCP, NBC, Fox and CBS had no comment.

I hear the holdup in securing a new deal for the Golden Globes stems from the steep license fee increases pursued by DCP and HFPA. At the end of the most recent contract, NBC reportedly was paying in the mid-$20 million a year for the Globes. According to sources, DCP’s final offer to NBC during the exclusive window asked for “multiple” of the most recent license fee, something the network was not willing to pay.

NBC

However, I hear that if any other party comes in with an offer lower than that final NBC offer, the peacock network has the right to match it, making proposals from rival networks a daunting proposition. And while CBS is a formidable competitor, sources close to the situation had expected the Globes to remain at NBC, which has a longstanding relationship with the HFPA and DCP. It’s been a successful partnership, and the network has helped maintain the Globes’ tradition while evolving the awards show, including introducing a host and providing some of the network’s top talent for the role, Tina Fey & Amy Poehler, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.

CBS had long been open about its interest in pursuing the Golden Globes rights if available, as revealed during the 2012 trial between the HFPA and DCP over the awards show. While CBS is home of marquee music awards shows, led by the Grammys, it does not have a film/TV awards franchise after recently dropping the People’s Choice Awards. (CBS previously teamed with DCP to carry the Hollywood Film Awards in 2014.)

Meanwhile, Fox is strengthening its focus on live events as is it is preparing for a future as an independent broadcast network with no affiliated scripted series supplier following the pending acquisition of key 21st Century Fox assets by Disney. Underlining that, the network recently made two blockbuster multi-year deals for Thursday Night Football and WWE Smackdown. That would explain Fox’s interest in the Golden Globes though I hear the network brass are higher on properties that run over multiple weeks like TNF and Smackdown and less on one-offs like the Globes.

The last remaining Big 4 network, ABC, is believed to be focused on its own big film/TV awards show, the Oscars, and not actively pursuing the Golden Globes.

While a deep-pocketed streamer could pretty comfortably afford the Globes at the price DCP and HFPA had been seeking, I hear the two companies like the broad platform that a major broadcast network gives, including promotion across multiple day parts. A morning show on the partner network has been particularly important to the HFPA, with the Globes nominations announced live on NBC’s Today for a number of years.

The most recent NBC contract for the Globes expired with the 2018 telecast on January 7. The 75th Golden Globes drew 19 million viewers and a 5.0 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic (Live+Same Day) in January. That was down slightly from the 2017 show to a six-year demo low, but still ranked as the most watched awards show since the Oscars.

With advertisers putting a premium on live entertainment programming that draws large audiences, the Globes is a very lucrative franchise. With a simple structure emphasizing star power as it only features best picture, acting, writing, directing and music categories for film, and best scripted series/movies and acting categories for TV, the Globes has held up pretty well while other major awards shows have slipped in the ratings over the past few years.

76th Annual Golden Globe Awards Timetable

Monday, July 23, 2018

Submission website for 2019 Golden Globe Motion Picture and Television entries now open

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Deadline for submission of Golden Globe Motion Picture and Television entry forms

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Deadline for nomination ballots to be mailed to all HFPA members by Ernst & Young

Saturday, December 1, 2018

Final screening date for Motion Pictures

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Final date for Motion Picture press conferences, at 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Deadline for receipt of nomination ballots by Ernst & Young, at 8:00 p.m.

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Announcement of nominations for the 76th Annual Golden Globe® Awards

Monday, December 17, 2018

Final ballots mailed to all HFPA members

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Deadline for receipt of final ballots by Ernst & Young, at 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, January 6, 2019

Presentation of the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards