CONFIRMED! NBC Cancels Golden Globes Newscast Exclusivity; No WGA Picketing When Foreign Press Announce Winners

I’m told there may be even some A-list actors helping the Hollywood Foreign Press Association hold its 30-minute press conference now open to all media since the Writers Guild has agreed to back off its threat to picket since NBC won’t be involved. So what I reported yesterday has come to pass: NBC has decided not to air an exclusive newscast of the HFPA announcing the Golden Globe winners. Sources tell me that NBC Universal boss Jeff Zucker was receiving “push back” from the network’s news division over the blurring of the line between news and entertainment. “The news people were upset at being used to cover Zucker’s mistakes,” an insider explained to me. I just checked with the Writers Guild and received this exclusive statement: “We were pleased to give the HFPA assurances that we will not picket nor will we be opposed to a small number of talent helping to announce the winners. Because the HFPA has been honorable and respectful and honest with us, unlike many of the other parties involved in this situation.”

The HFPA just issued this statement of confirmation:

Golden Globe Awards Press Conference Set for Sunday to Be Produced by Hollywood Foreign Press Association With No Media Restrictions: HOLLYWOOD, CA (January 11, 2008) — After discussions with NBC, Hollywood Foreign Press Association President Jorge Camara today announced that the HFPA will have complete control of its 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards Announcement that is scheduled to take place Sunday, January 13 at 6:00 p.m. PST in the International Ballroom of The Beverly Hilton. Under the new arrangement, there will be no restrictions placed on media outlets covering the press conference.

And the WGA just issued this statement:

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has announced that instead of the usual televised three-hour gala on NBC, the HFPA will take complete control of its 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards Announcement and host a press conference open to all media to announce the winners of the Golden Globes. In light of this change to the program, the WGA gave the HFPA our assurances that there would be no picket of their press conference on Sunday.