Yahoo Finance Golden Globes' HFPA Approves Reforms to Make Membership More Inclusive to Journalists of Color
Frazer Harrison/Getty Golden Globe statuettes
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) is making strides toward becoming more inclusive after it faced boycotts following a Los Angeles Times exposé about its demographics and lack of inclusionary practices.
In May, NBC announced it would not air the 2022 Golden Globe Awards, which the HFPA hosts, after outrage was sparked from the Times' report that said there were zero Black members within the HFPA. (The HFPA is comprised of 87 international journalists who determine the nominees and winners of the Golden Globes each year.)
According to The Hollywood Reporter, a vote for the new bylaws took place on Wednesday night and was approved by members.
"Three months ago, we made a promise to commit to transformational change, and with this vote, we kept the last and most significant promise in reimagining the HFPA and our role in the industry," HFPA Board President Ali Sar said in a statement released Thursday.
"All of these promised reforms can serve as industry benchmarks and allow us to once again partner meaningfully with Hollywood moving forward," Sar added in the statement.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
HFPA Approves Reform Bylaws, New Board To Be Elected by Early September. Learn more: https://t.co/EHrYScSVrU pic.twitter.com/3wGtPECW9D
— Golden Globe Awards (@goldenglobes) August 5, 2021
Following the vote, the HFPA board will meet Thursday and set a date for elections to choose a new board, which will comprise 12 members and three non-members.
As part of the new bylaws, the HFPA is now also required to accept 20 new members this year "with a specific focus on recruiting Black members," as well as a goal to increase membership "by 50 percent over the next 18 months," THR reports.
The HFPA previously required candidates to live in Southern California, but it has dropped that requirement and opened up its application to foreign journalists living anywhere in the U.S. who work for international publications, according to THR. It has also removed restrictions on the number of members who can join each year.
RELATED VIDEO: The Winners, Most Memorable Moments and Standout Style of the 2021 Golden Globes
In March, the HFPA pledged to have 13% Black membership by the next award show, telling THR in a statement the organization is "committed to making necessary changes within our organization and in our industry as a whole. We also acknowledge that we should have done more, and sooner."
Tom Cruise and Scarlett Johansson were among the various Hollywood stars who boycotted the HFPA, with Cruise, 59, returning all three of his Golden Globe Awards.
Cruise previously won his three awards for best actor in Born on the Fourth of July (1990) and Jerry Maguire (1997), and for best supporting actor in Magnolia (2000).
