HBO and Vice Media announced an expansion of their partnership on Thursday, including the launch of a daily Vice newscast on the pay cable outlet.
Vice already airs a weekly news show on HBO, a more personal-style look at the world's hot spots than traditional news outlets. That Friday night program, which currently airs 14 times a year, will expand to 35 episodes a year over the course of the new four-year agreement.
HBO and Vice offered few details about the daily newscast, other than to say that it will draw on 30 global bureaus and "feature the original on-the-ground reporting viewers expect from Vice." It will begin sometime this fall and be shown on the main HBO network, but Vice spokesman Jake Goldman said a time slot had not been set yet.
Shane Smith, founder and CEO of Vice, described the deal as "a tremendous gift and a tremendous opportunity."
"This deal, simply put, allows Vice the freedom the go after any story, anywhere we find it, and to do so with complete independence," he said.
Vice's relationship with HBO has changed from a great business partnership to a transformative brand-builder, he said.
Vice also will produce 32 long-form specials for HBO over the next four years, the network said. A special Vice-branded channel will also be offered on the HBO Now streaming service.
