The new Vice content agreement should help HBO market its new streaming video service targeted at millennials, HBO Now, announced last week. HBO hopes the low-cost streaming service, with a subscription price of $15 per month, will attract younger “cord-cutters” who don’t want to pay for a full cable subscription.
Vice will also receive its own marquee spot on HBO Now.
The daily newscast -- a first for HBO -- extends its previous partnership with Vice, which has been producing a newsmagazine for HBO since 2013. HBO is also committing to more episodes of the newsmagazine, raising the total from 14 to 35 episodes per year. As part of the expanded partnership, the newsmagazine will run through 2018.
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Long known for its entertainment content, HBO has also bolstered its news offerings (with an entertaining twist) with the weekly news roundup “Last Week Tonight,” hosted by former “Daily Show” correspondent John Oliver.
Separately, Vice is also said to be in talks with Facebook about producing original short-form videos, which could be distributed along with advertising via users’ Newsfeeds.
Last September, the media company received a new $500 million round of investment from Technology Crossover Ventures and A&E Networks. The investments valued Vice Media at $2.5 billion.