Media top headlines May 10
NBC's Chuck Todd failing to ask Dr. Fauci about the origins of COVID and more round out today's top media headlines.
NBC announced Monday it would not air the 2022 Golden Globes due to concerns with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's diversity issues, but that didn't stop conservatives from wondering if it was really due to the show's dismal ratings.
"We continue to believe that the HFPA is committed to meaningful reform. However, change of this magnitude takes time and work, and we feel strongly that the HFPA needs time to do it right. As such, NBC will not air the 2022 Golden Globes," NBC said in a statement Monday. It added it hoped to do so in 2023, if adequte reforms took place.
Despite the return of hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, the 78th Golden Globes on Feb. 28 attracted just 6.9 million viewers, a 63% drop from the 2020 audience of 18.4 million.
NBC WON'T AIR 2022 GOLDEN GLOBES
Conservatives did not buy the official NBC line on why it was, at least for the moment, ending its partnership with the HFPA on the show, which awards achievements in both television and film.
"The real reason why NBC decided not to air the Golden Globes," conservative activist Kyle Kashuv tweeted, with a chart of declining awards show ratings.
"Not worth the headache, most likely," HotAir's Ed Morrissey wrote.
In the 2020 show, host Ricky Gervais roasted the liberal Hollywoood audience as woke frauds, saying they had less formal education "than Greta Thunberg" and should keep quiet instead of lecturing the audience on politics. In one memorable joke, he suggested some in the crowd had close ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
COMEDIAN JOHN MULANEY, WIFE ANNA MARIE TENDLER DIVORCING AFTER SIX YEARS OF MARRIAGE
Conservative Stephen L. Miller simply posted a tweet of a laughing Gervais gif in response to NBC's announcement. Others joked it was an example of the "woke" eating their own.
Deadline reported it's unclear whether NBCUniversal will pay the HFPA the $60 million annual fee to air the Globes. The pair inked an eight-year deal in 2018 to continue broadcasting the Golden Globes through 2026.
The 2021 show was marked by the awkwardness of socially distant speeches, and conservatives have also pointed to predictable liberal ravings by celebrities as a turnoff to general audiences, but ratings also were likely affected by a year of movies that were largely unknown to mainstream audiences. This year's Oscars ceremony also saw record-low ratings for similar reasons, with polls showing most Americans did not even recognize the names of movies up for Best Picture.
With more Americans likely to attend movies in 2021, awards show ratings next year could rise as a result. However, NBC won't find out.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The move comes after Netflix and Amazon recently cut their ties with the HFPA.
The HFPA came under fire in recent months when it was revealed the organization lacked a single Black member, and faced accusations of somewhat unprofessional behaviors and accepting gifts from competing productions.
Fox News' Mariah Haas and Julius Young contributed to this report.
Fox News First
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.