“Junket” Press Movie Awards Gaining A Rep

“In just 10 years, the Broadcast Film Critics Association has transformed its awards show from a small luncheon for winners into a nationally telecast special. Nearly half its voters are part of the “movie junket press,” a cadre of mostly out-of-town reviewers and writers who travel to interview filmmakers and performers at events that are paid for and orchestrated by the studios. Their often-gushy quotes are then splashed across advertisements for many of the year’s worst-reviewed films. Studio publicists say they make certain to pay attention to the group’s members, and they say the Critics’ Choice Awards are gaining on the Golden Globes.”