The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has filed a lawsuit against Penske Media over the sale of the Golden Globes, opening a new legal fight around one of Hollywood’s most recognizable awards shows. The complaint accuses Penske Media of helping carry out a plan to dismantle the 80-year-old group that originally founded the Golden Globes.
At the center of the dispute is the 2023 purchase of the Golden Globes by Dick Clark Productions and Eldridge. Dick Clark Productions is a major producer of televised live-event programming, and the deal marked a major shift in who controls the long-running awards brand.
According to the allegation described in the report, the HFPA argues that the transaction was not simply a business sale. Instead, the organization claims the deal was tied to a broader effort that weakened or broke apart the association behind the ceremony, turning a high-profile entertainment acquisition into a battle over legacy, structure and control.
The case now puts renewed attention on how the Golden Globes changed ownership and what that change meant for the founding organization. Based on the available details, the lawsuit centers on whether the sale helped erase the HFPA’s role in the institution it created.
