CFDA reportedly drops televised awards show due to cost

The CFDA regrets to inform you that a televised broadcast of the CFDA Awards scheduled to take place on June 6 will not be happening. Originally, CFDA had planned to televise the awards ceremony, which is taking place at the Hammerstein Ballroom, in a partnership with Harvey Weinstein's The Weinstein Co.

CFDA president Steven Kolb released a statement to WWD saying "As previously announced, the 2016 CFDA Fashion Awards will be held at the Hammerstein Ballroom for the first time after seven years at Alice Tully Hall. The new venue comes with a dynamic new format featuring performances, live fashion and the return to a seated dinner. With all these changes, we have decided to not move forward with a television broadcast opportunity this year.”

CFDA is providing no further comment beyond Kolb's statement.

According to the article which broke on WWD, the reported costs of televising the awards show was too high, so, ultimately that is what led to the CFDA no longer moving forward with that decision.

CFDA Awards no longer being televised

The high costs are being attributed to the celebrity presenters the organization usually lines up. Televising the awards show to a national audience boosts the celebrity fee.

There two camps of people in the situation as well. Those who were unsure of the need for a televised ceremony in today's digital age, and those who were excited at the possibility of the awards show being broadcast. There was also the two camps of people who were on the fence about having a large broadcast style awards show and preferred an intimate setting, and those who thought that this would be a good way to generate attention to fashion.

In March, the CFDA announced they had partnered with The Weinstein Co. to televise the broadcast and red carpet arrivals.

Weinstein was an obvious choice given Harvey Weinstein's marriage to designer Georgina Chapman, one of the two women behind Marchesa. He has also served as an executive producer of Project Runway. The CFDA board approved the idea to televise the broadcast, leaving The Weinstein Co. in charge of all aspects, including the distribution rights.

Although there will be no televised broadcast, The Weinstein Co. and Patrick Reardon are still executive producing the event. KCD still handles producing the event, and Laird + Partners still oversees the annual journal.

photo:cfda.com