Vice Media Group LLC is an American-Canadian digital media and broadcasting company. As of June 2021,[update] the Vice Media Group included five main business areas: Vice.com (digital content); Vice Studios (film and TV production); Vice TV (also known as Viceland); Vice News; and Virtue (an agency offering creative services). It was cited as the largest independent youth media company in the world, with 35 offices.[9]
Developing from Vice magazine, originally founded and based in Montreal and co-founded by Suroosh Alvi,[10]Shane Smith, and Gavin McInnes,[11] Vice expanded primarily into youth and young adult-focused digital media. This included online content verticals and related web series, the news division Vice News, a film production studio and a record label, among other properties. Vice re-located to New York City in 2001. Vice Media originally broadcast their news programs on HBO, including the Emmy-winning[12] weekly documentary series Vice, which premiered in April 2013. Vice features segments on global issues hosted by co-founders Smith and Alvi, and a rotating cast of correspondents.[13][14] They also broadcast Vice News Tonight, which premiered 10 October 2016, showcased a nightly roundup of global news, technology, the environment, economics, and pop culture while eschewing traditional news anchors.[15][16][17] On 10 June 2019, HBO announced the news program's cancellation in addition to ending relations with Vice Media after a seven-year partnership.[18] In August 2019, it was reported that the company was laying off staff as part of a shift towards news that would involve merging Viceland and Vice News.[19]
In April 2023, it was announced that Vice Media was restructuring and downsizing its news division.[20][21][22] In May, Vice filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy[23] and agreed to be acquired by a consortium led by Fortress Investment Group for $350million in June.[7] In February 2024, CEO Bruce Dixon announced additional layoffs and that the Vice.com website would cease publishing content, instead partnering with other media companies to distribute its content.[24][25]