Vice to launch global 'Vice News Channel'

Vice is specialising in short documentary films made in conflict zones

The youth-oriented media group Vice has announced the launch of a global Vice News Channel, with a network of 35 bureaux around the world.

The launch of the dedicated vicenews.com platform represents a significant online challenge to television-led global news providers.

Vice, which has had financial backing from 21st Century Fox, has recruited over 125 editorial staff for the venture and will be drawing on the services of 4,000 contributors. “This is a significant scaling up in the amount of stories and content we will be distributing,” said a Vice spokesperson.

Having been founded as a youth lifestyle magazine in Montreal in 1994, Vice has moved increasingly into video, specialising in short documentary films made in conflict zones and striking up partnerships with broadcasters including CNN and HBO.

The news channel will launch with new documentaries including “Killing Time in Kandahar,” an investigation into the first “Spring fighting season” between the Taliban and the Afghan National Army without the presence of US troops.

Although Vice will not attempt to take on television outlets by following “the traditional news cycle”, it has currently deployed three film units to Ukraine and has another reporting from violent protests in Venezuela.