MUMBAI: With the awards season just round the corner, news is CBS has struck a deal with Dick Clark Productions for exclusive broadcast rights of the Hollywood Film Awards, a relatively lesser known fest that has never had the privilege of television exposure.

Created 17 years ago by Carlos de Abreu, the Hollywood Film Awards ceremony hasn’t really managed to grab eyeballs in comparison to the Oscars or Golden Globes, but it what it has managed in recent years is to draw A-listers to attend the show. The event has typically taken place in the fall and is seen as the unofficial starter for awards season. The most recent Hollywood Film Awards were held in October at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The channel already boasts of the exclusive rights for the Grammy Awards and the Academy of Country Music Awards, but is yet to announce an air date for its first telecast of the Hollywood Film Awards. According to reports the show's initial telecast would likely be either late this year or, should the network decide to heat up the action, move the franchise closer to the Globes and Oscars, early next year.

With no dearth of awards shows on television, many continue to draw strong ratings. Live events such as sports and awards shows are seen as more valuable in this digital age where people have the facility to record and keep their favourite shows for leisure viewing.

What remains to be seen is if CBS manages to steal the Golden Globes from the NBC network in the coming years, as the event is also created by Dick Clark Productions.