Looking at Golden Globes compared to other award shows
There are many award shows on television today – so many that several people cannot tell you what award show presents for what medium of entertainment. Though award shows are popular to watch, many of us watch them merely because it is a special break from our other programming. However, if networks were to put on several award shows on at the same time, which would you watch? Would you watch the Golden Globes? Probably not.
Unfortunately, the Golden Globes is not a front runner in popularity for award shows, and despite this being true, why do networks continue airing these awards shows and why do we keep watching them? One must consider all aspects of the Golden Globes in order to make a valid opinion as to why they still air.
The Golden Globes are put on by The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), which is a non-profit organization who gives money in support of entertainment related charities, as well as putting money towards young filmmakers in helping them pursue their dreams. The HFPA’s philanthropy work should be commended, and I hope for them to keep supporting entertainment. The HFPA started as a group trying to spread movies and television series throughout the world during the Great Depression, and eventually decided to award these popular movies and television shows by making the first Golden Globes awards show in 1943.
However, The Academy Awards – best known as The Oscars – debuted their first awards show for films (before the Golden Globes) in 1929. The only difference in these two award shows is that the HFPA are a group of journalists, actors, producers, and directors from all over the world, representing over 55 countries. The Academy Awards, on the other hand, is made up of a larger group of journalists, actors, producers, and directors who are mostly from America. The Golden Globes also cover television programs, which is different from The Oscars. But one must not forget about the Primetime Emmys, which also began in 1946, that celebrates only television programming. In comparison to these two award programs, The Golden Globes covers exactly what The Oscars and The Emmys cover, except in a smaller capacity.
The Golden Globes seem to be put on for more nostalgic reasons than for their coverage and awards given out. The Golden Globes represent the coming together of the world in the form of HFPA to celebrate greatness in movies and television – but was originally put on to quench the thirst for entertainment for those experiencing The Great Depression. Due to this diversity and history, I believe that is the reason that they are still on today.