VICE to Launch TV Network

Where does one go after they create a dominant digital presence that the old guard is salivating over?

Create your own traditional television network, of course!

Shane Smith was on CNBC talking about VICE’s growth opportunities, and the founder commented that VICE has likely neared its highest potential valuation with its current offerings. With that in mind, they’re looking to expand their news offering through a traditional television news network, where 75% of advertising revenue still resides.

Smith was pretty opaque with details regarding what this new television network looks like, and is mostly still in early development. Regardless, with the success of their HBO documentaries being so successful, it seems likely they’re ready for a big network debut.

But even with their previous success, filling an entire 24 hour news cycle with content can be difficult. Many news stations have commented on the difficulty of keeping the quality of programming high while needing to fill so many time slots. VICE has been a digitally-focused company for so long, with lots of modern streaming options for their content, that such a move certainly piques one’s curiosity.

Smith also spoke about the validity of hearing Netflix recently announce their intention to create a news series similar to VICE. Netflix plans to compete with VICE’s style in the next two years, as Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer at Netflix, commented the odds are “probably high” that Netflix will launch their own news programming.