
Its Edge Intact, Vice Is Chasing Hard News - dnetesn
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/25/business/media/its-edge-intact-vice-is-chasing-hard-news-.html?ref=media
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antihero
I'm crossed about the News Corp. buyout of a large portion of the company. On
one hand, I think that this could simply be them spotting something that's on
the up, and investing in it, hopefully with a light-handed approach that
doesn't involve touching the formula.

The more cynical side of me wonders if Vice going far beyond "mainstream"
media and covering important social and international issues is the reason,
and News Corp. is grabbing power over it so they can quietly take it's
integrity and edge out back and put a bullet into it's skull, because they are
a threat to not only the business model, but the very system that News Corp.
exists in.

~~~
IvyMike
> I'm crossed about the News Corp. buyout of a large portion of the company.

Maybe they have increased their stake or something, but the only deal I can
find was for 5%. And I wouldn't call 5% a large portion. It certainly seems
dubious that they would be able to exert much control at all at that level.

[http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/aug/17/rupert-
murdoch-...](http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/aug/17/rupert-murdoch-vice-
magazine-stake)

------
zdean
As an aside, the story of the author's (David Carr) life and challenges is an
amazing one:

[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/magazine/20Carr-t.html?pag...](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/magazine/20Carr-t.html?pagewanted=all)

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psaintla
I know many people love Vice but I find their news coverage to be fairly
vapid. Their journalism is more about generating a reaction and less about
providing accurate in-depth information for the viewer.

~~~
ollerac
For the most part I think you're right, but give them a chance and check out
some of their excellent documentaries:

\- [https://news.vice.com/video/the-islamic-state-
part-1](https://news.vice.com/video/the-islamic-state-part-1)

\- [http://www.vice.com/the-vice-report/saving-south-sudan-
part-...](http://www.vice.com/the-vice-report/saving-south-sudan-part-1)

\- [http://www.vice.com/ground-zero/mali](http://www.vice.com/ground-
zero/mali)

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misiti3780
That vice special on ISIS was fascinating (and scary). I love their shows (HBO
+ Youtube). It is a much more interesting version of
Current([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_TV](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Current_TV))
Al Gores station that was purchased last year and is unfortunately no longer
on Direct TV

~~~
apendleton
It's not on DirecTV because it no longer exits, at least under that name; it
was acquired by Al Jazeera and transformed into Al Jazeera America.

~~~
misiti3780
bummer .... because there was some really interesting shows on that channel.

~~~
legomylibrum
Al-Jazeera has some good ones too, and they often make specials that really
dig into an issue and provide both sides of the issue as well as the context
in which the whole thing is happening. I've been really impressed with their
coverage in general.

But, and this is pretty annoying, a lot of the documentaries and stories that
they play are not new and used to be available, along with a live stream of
the channel, on their website. There's nothing wrong with recycling the
content; that stuff takes awhile to make and demanding new editions every day
is a big part of what made the 24-hour news cycle into what it is today. But
now that I've cut the cord I do miss their coverage.

Anyways, AJ is a solid news channel so I wouldn't be too too upset about the
acquisition.

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litmus
Subject-wise it still can be edgy at times, but I still miss the Gavin McInnes
days (the pushed out co-founder)[1], despite him resurfacing kind of
predictably as a Fox News regular. The writing in the magazine itself has
mellowed since then and often succumbs to a uninspiring stale journalistic
style that I think the editors mistake for gravitas. But then again, no one
reads anymore so there is that...I like some of the fiction though.

[1] [https://soundcloud.com/litmustrax/the-voice-of-
vice3](https://soundcloud.com/litmustrax/the-voice-of-vice3)

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lotsofmangos
Not bad going for a free glossy magazine that when it started looked for all
the world like the bastard offspring of Bizarre Magazine and The Face.

~~~
pessimizer
Also, it (Voice of Montreal) was funded by Canadian welfare checks - if you
ever need an example of how a safety net can encourage growth and innovation.

