This year's Golden Globes ceremony will be cancelled after actors
vowed to boycott it in support of striking Hollywood writers, the Los
Angeles Times reported on its website today.

The Times, citing an email sent by broadcasters to studios, reported
that the traditional televised dinner and prize presentation had been
scrapped in favour of a press conference and a scaled back red carpet
event.

The fate of the Golden Globes - due to be held in Beverly Hills on
Sunday - had been hanging in the balance ever since striking writers
vowed to place picket lines around the awards show last week.

On Friday, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) announced that its members
would not cross picket lines set up by writers, who are locked in a
bitter dispute with film and television producers.

The actors union's decision immediately called into question plans
for the black-tie dinner and awards presentations which are normally
televised live by US broadcaster NBC.

According to the Times report, the Golden Globes' organizers the
Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) had reached a compromise
deal that would allow winners to receive their awards informally on
Sunday.

The victors would then be announced in a televised press conference
instead of the usual ceremony.

Hollywood screenwriters have been on strike since November 5 after
the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
(AMPTP) failed to agree on terms for a new contract that expired in
October.

Negotiations have foundered over the writers' demands for an
increased share of profits from internet and new media sales.

The two month strike has forced the suspension of numerous television
series and the postponement of work on several Hollywood films.