Vice will produce HBO's first daily newscast, and will release significantly more documentary series episodes and HBO specials over the next four years.
HBO’s relationship with digital news company Vice Media proved successful last year when Vice’s documentary series on the premium cable channel won a Primetime Emmy award, and the two media outfits have reportedly agreed on a four-year deal on Thursday that will expand their partnership. In addition to doubling the number of annual episodes of Vice’s popular HBO documentary series, Vice will be producing HBO’s first daily newscast.
According to the four-year deal, Vice will be releasing 35 episodes of their HBO documentary series each year, a large increase from the 14 annual episodes the news company is currently producing. HBO is also promising a total of 32 Vice-produced specials over the next four years, as well as a daily newscast which will consist of five half-hour shows each week, and air 48 weeks per year. The newscast will include “the original on-the-ground reporting viewers expect from Vice, but in a daily format.” All of this new Vice programming will be aired on the HBO network and be made available for online streaming, and will also have its own channel on the new HBO Now streaming service.
“Over the last few years, our relationship with HBO has morphed from a great business partnership into a transformative brand-builder,” said Vice CEO Shane Smith in a statement. “This groundbreaking deal will create a new voice in news.”
“[Smith] and the VICE team have produced some of the most groundbreaking and dynamic journalism anywhere,” said HBO CEO Richard Plepler and programming president Michael Lombardo in a joint statement. “From the front lines in the Ukraine, to the icebergs of Antarctica and the streets of Ferguson, Vice news has helped illuminate and expand our understanding of an increasingly complex world.”
The expanded partnership between HBO and Vice is likely an attempt by the premium cable channel to encourage the younger audience which typically tunes in to Vice’s programming to start using HBO Now when it releases next month, since the upcoming streaming service is meant to appeal to a younger crowd without cable subscriptions.
