The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has filed a lawsuit against Penske Media, the parent company of The Hollywood Reporter, Variety and Rolling Stone, accusing it of fraudulently acquiring the Golden Globes as part of a scheme to dominate the Hollywood awards and trade press market. The suit, lodged in a California federal court, claims Penske used its control of major entertainment trade publications to orchestrate a boycott of the HFPA, deliberately weakening the organisation so it could be bought out.

The complaint brings claims including monopolisation, unjust enrichment and fraudulent misrepresentation, and seeks at least $150 million in damages along with a court order reversing the acquisition of the Golden Globes' assets and rights. It alleges a "clandestine scheme" targeting the 80-year-old awards show, which the HFPA, an organisation of non-American journalists, founded in 1943. Dick Clark Productions, under the same ownership as The Hollywood Reporter, and investment firm Eldridge bought the Golden Globes from the HFPA in 2023. Penske Media had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.