Disney Invests $200 Million in Vice Media

[crazy4wdw]

Disney Invests $200 Million in Vice Media

The rising media company is now worth more than $4 billion.

The Walt Disney Co. has invested another $200 million in the fast-rising publisher Vice Media, putting the latter’s valuation at more than $4 billion, according to a Financial Times report.

Disney DIS -0.90% previously invested $200 million in Vice in November. At that time, Vice announced that it would take over the A+E Networks channel H2 with its own, dubbed “Viceland.” (That deal was rumored for months.) A+E Networks, which owns more than 15% of Vice, is jointly owned by Disney and Hearst.

With this latest deal, Disney will own almost one-fifth of Vice Media.

http://fortune.com/2015/12/09/disney-vice/

 

[Alice Royal]

Damn. Considering their content (they own Munchies, which is a YouTube brand full of stoner cooking)...that's interesting to hear.

 

[Dean Marino]

"Vice" Media? Probably a badly named company.... but I can't resist saying Disney just gave $200 Million to VICE . WHY do I suspect someone in the investment branch is going to get a "talking-to" .

 

[Eoghann]

It's certainly much edgier than the Disney brand, but since they have a 20% stake not ownership Disney gets to keep it at arms length. Not everything Disney touches is suitable for the under 10s. A+E itself isn't that and Disney owns that outright.

They know they need to expand beyond the established tv networks, this is part of trying to do that.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

It's certainly much edgier than the Disney brand, but since they have a 20% stake not ownership Disney gets to keep it at arms length. Not everything Disney touches is suitable for the under 10s. A+E itself isn't that and Disney owns that outright.

Heck, half of their self-labeled television content isn't suitable for kids.

 

[zebsterama]

Young people aren't looking to the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, or CNN for their news ... this is the way of world - this is the future.