Critics Choice Association

What Critics Choice Association does

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) is a nonprofit membership organization founded in 1995 that aggregates critical assessment from over 500 broadcast, radio, online critics, and entertainment journalists across the United States and Canada. The organization was formally established in 2019 through the merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, consolidating film, television, documentary, unscripted, and genre-content criticism under a single umbrella. CCA's product portfolio comprises four annual awards programs — the flagship Critics Choice Awards (now in its 32nd edition), Critics Choice Documentary Awards, Critics Choice Real TV Awards, and Critics Choice Super Awards — plus four Diversity Celebration events recognizing LGBTQ+, Black, Latino, and AAPI Cinema & Television. Supporting products include the 'In Conversation' video interview series, the Critics Choice Seal of Distinction for highly-rated films, weekly member movie ratings, and a CCA scholarship program.

The underlying technology stack is light: a member-facing voting platform, a public website (criticschoice.com), and standard social media distribution across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and X. CCA monetizes through five primary revenue streams: broadcast licensing fees from E! and USA Network (both under Versant) for the live telecast; corporate sponsorships from brands including FIJI Water, Milagro Tequila, Cold Stone Creamery, and Wetzel's Pretzels; event ticket and table sales at venues such as Barker Hangar and Fairmont Century Plaza; annual membership dues from voting and associate members; and merchandise through the CCA Merch Store. Its primary go-to-market is event-driven, anchored on the annual flagship ceremony with a two-year broadcast renewal through 2028.

CCA serves four customer segments: film and television industry professionals who seek awards recognition, the 500+ critic members who provide assessments, streaming platforms and studios whose content receives nominations, and a general entertainment audience that consumes the broadcast and related content. Strategic execution partners include Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment (executive production), APEX Public Relations (media relations), Greenberg Traurig (legal counsel), and HereTV (LGBTQ+ celebration streaming). Leadership is led by CEO Joey Berlin, with EVP David Freedman and dedicated Presidents for Film (Pete Hammond) and Television (Ed Martin), a Board of Directors drawn from major outlets (Variety, Rotten Tomatoes, TNT/TBS/truTV, Fox, Good Day LA, KSNV-TV), and digital sales and marketing functions.

Name

Critics Choice Association

Legal name

Critics Choice Association

Website

https://criticschoice.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Critics Choice Association is a nonprofit organization representing over 500 broadcast, radio, and online critics across the US and Canada. Founded in 1995, it runs four annual awards programs and diversity events, funded through broadcast licensing, sponsorships, and membership dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entertainment Awards & Event Management

NAICS

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Entertainment Programming & Curation (Lineups, Run-of-Show, Scheduling) (HSACAHAO)

Keywords

• Entertainment awards ceremonies
• Film criticism organization
• Television awards programs
• Professional critics association
• Diversity celebration events

Headquarters

HQ city

West Hollywood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Broadcast Rights and Television Distribution: The Critics Choice Awards are broadcast on E! and USA Network, with a two-year renewal deal signed through 2028, generating revenue through broadcast rights and television distribution deals.
2. Event Tickets and Table Sales: The organization sells tickets and tables for its award ceremonies and gala events. Contact information for ticket purchases is provided for events like the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors including FIJI Water, Milagro Tequila, Cold Stone Creamery, and Wetzel's Pretzels sponsor the annual awards shows.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Critics Choice Association is a nonprofit professional membership organization of over 500 broadcast, radio, online critics and entertainment journalists that aggregates critical assessments of film, documentary, and television content. It produces five annual awards programs (Critics Choice Awards, Documentary Awards, Real TV Awards, Super Awards, and Diversity Celebrations) and generates revenue through broadcast licensing, sponsorships, membership dues, and event ticket sales.

Product overview

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) operates as a unified platform for multiple annual awards programs and events. The core offerings include the Critics Choice Awards (the flagship film and television awards ceremony), Critics Choice Documentary Awards, Critics Choice Real TV Awards, and Critics Choice Super Awards. The organization also runs four Diversity Celebration events: Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television, Celebration of Latino Cinema & Television, Celebration of Asian Pacific Cinema & Television, and Celebration of Black Cinema & Television. Additional products include the 'In Conversation' video interview series, the Critics Choice Seal (a distinction for highly-rated films), Weekly Movie Ratings (for members), the CCA Membership Program, and CCA Scholarships. The awards are broadcast on E! and USA Network, with content available on Peacock streaming platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Critics Choice Awards Annual awards ceremony honoring the finest in cinematic and television achievement. The flagship event of the organization, known as the most accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations, hosted at Barker Hangar in Santa Monica and aired live on E! and USA Network with next-day streaming on Peacock.
• Critics Choice Documentary Awards Annual awards program recognizing excellence in documentary filmmaking across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms.
• Critics Choice Real TV Awards Annual awards recognizing excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms.
• Critics Choice Super Awards Annual awards program honoring achievements in superhero, science fiction, fantasy, horror, and action content across film and television.
• Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television Annual event recognizing achievements across the LGBTQ+ entertainment community, spotlighting stars, creators and writers behind acclaimed projects. Streamed on HereTV during Pride Month.
• Celebration of Latino Cinema & Television Annual event recognizing historically underrepresented Latino communities in entertainment.
• Celebration of Asian Pacific Cinema & Television Annual event recognizing achievements in Asian Pacific American cinema and television.
• Celebration of Black Cinema & Television Annual event recognizing achievements in Black cinema and television, spotlighting historically underrepresented communities.
• In Conversation Video/podcast series featuring interviews with actors, directors, and industry professionals discussing their work. CCA members interview talent about their projects.
• Critics Choice Seal of Distinction Proprietary distinction seal awarded to new movies receiving high Critics Choice Ratings scores in weekly voting by CCA members.
• CCA Membership Program Membership program for media critics and entertainment journalists, providing access to voting rights in awards, advance screenings, and a professional network. Includes Voting Members and Associate Members tiers with annual dues.
• CCA Scholarships Scholarship program for students pursuing careers in journalism, criticism, or entertainment media.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ratings doubled for the last Critics Choice Awards show
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• E! NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Primary broadcast partner for the Critics Choice Awards. E! airs the annual ceremony live on both coasts. A two-year renewal deal was signed in April 2026, continuing the partnership through 2028. This marks the third consecutive year E! has hosted the telecast.
• USA NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Co-broadcast partner for the Critics Choice Awards, airing live simultaneously with E! across both coasts. Part of the two-year renewal deal with Versant through 2028.
• VersantcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Parent company overseeing E! and USA Network entertainment programming. Val Boreland, President of Entertainment at Versant, announced the two-year renewal deal for the Critics Choice Awards, continuing the partnership through 2028.
• HereTVminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 7 April 2026LGBTQ+ streaming service that streamed the Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television event during Pride Month 2025. The first and largest LGBTQ+ television and streaming service in the U.S.
• PeacockcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNBCUniversal's streaming platform serves as the streaming home for the Critics Choice Awards, offering next-day viewing following the live broadcast. The awards ceremony is available on the platform the day after airing live.
• Bob Bain ProductionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive production company for the Critics Choice Awards. Bob Bain Productions works alongside Berlin Entertainment to produce the annual ceremony.
• Berlin EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive production company for the Critics Choice Awards alongside Bob Bain Productions. Responsible for producing the annual ceremony.
• Greenberg Traurig, LLPminorOthersLegal representation for the Critics Choice Awards. Dan Black serves as the representative for the organization.
• APEX Public RelationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPR agency handling media relations for the Critics Choice Awards. Contact includes Andy Gelb and Julia Rossen for press inquiries.
• FIJI WaterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Critics Choice Awards, providing product at events.
• Milagro TequilaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Critics Choice Awards, providing alcoholic beverage products at events.
• Cold Stone CreameryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Critics Choice Awards.
• Wetzel's PretzelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor of the Critics Choice Awards.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Hollywood Foreign Press Association / Golden Globes: The most direct structural analog: a press/critics organization that hosts an annual entertainment awards ceremony with broadcast partnerships. Both are nonprofit-style professional bodies producing prestige awards for film and television, and the HFPA's recent restructuring mirrors the CCA's 2019 merger of two predecessor bodies (BFCA + BTJA).
• SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild Awards): Industry guild/professional association that hosts its own annual televised film and television awards (SAG Awards). Closely comparable model of a member organization monetizing awards shows through broadcast deals and sponsorships.
• Producers Guild of America (PGA Awards): Industry guild hosting annual Producers Guild Awards for film and television. Similar professional-association model, member voting, and awards-season positioning adjacent to Critics Choice Awards.
• National Board of Review: Historic New York-based critics organization (founded 1909) that publishes annual top-ten lists and hosts its own awards gala. Closely comparable as a critic-organization awards body, though smaller in scale and less televised than CCA.
• Film Independent (Independent Spirit Awards): Nonprofit organization hosting the annual Film Independent Spirit Awards for independent cinema. Same event-driven, broadcast-supported nonprofit professional model as the CCA, serving a distinct but overlapping awards-season audience.
• The Gotham Film & Media Institute (Gotham Awards): Nonprofit film organization that hosts the annual Gotham Awards for independent film. Operates in the same awards-season window with comparable nonprofit-hosted, sponsor-supported event economics.

Broad incumbents

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscars): The apex film awards organization; broader and more established than CCA, with global reach and member-driven voting. Operates in the same awards-season ecosystem and is the ultimate downstream target of CCA's 'most accurate Oscar predictor' brand positioning.
• BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts): International professional academy hosting BAFTA Film and Television Awards with broadcast partnerships. Comparable membership/voting model, but with established global brand reach that the CCA currently lacks.
• Television Academy (Emmy Awards): Large professional society of TV industry professionals that produces the Emmy Awards, the most prestigious US television awards. Competes for the same awards-season audience, broadcast partners, and studio campaign budgets as the Critics Choice Awards.

Others

• Rotten Tomatoes: Critic-and-audience review aggregator that sits adjacent to the CCA in the entertainment-criticism ecosystem. Represents the data-driven competitive threat to traditional critics organizations; a CCA board member represents Rotten Tomatoes, signaling ecosystem linkage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/criticschoice
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CriticsChoice
• Facebookfacebook.com/CriticsChoiceAwards
• Instagraminstagram.com/criticschoice
• TikToktiktok.com/@officialcriticschoice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/critics-choice-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Critics Choice Association