This winter, there will officially be a VICE channel on cable television. The youth-centric alternative news outlet has been in talks with A&E to produce its own cable channel for a while now, but a release date of February 2016 has finally been set.
The VICE channel will, unsurprisingly, differ from traditional cable news outlets in a number of ways. First, the VICE channel will have significantly fewer ads than most cable TV. Secondly, VICE insisted in negotiations that it be free to release content online simultaneously to its broadcasts, rather than conforming to the window of time that cable channels usually allow between broadcasts and streaming availability.
VICE co-founder and CEO Shane Smith further stated that the VICE channel will continue to maintain its standard of unflinching long form journalism as well as its efforts in marketing innovation.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Youth-centered News Consumption
- Brands that cater to the younger demographic can create news channels with fewer ads and simultaneous streaming to reach this audience.
- Alternative News Outlets
- Emerging alternative news outlets can differentiate themselves from traditional cable television news by offering long-form, unflinching journalism and cutting back on ads and other conventional network restrictions.
- Multi-platform News Release
- News networks can gain a competitive advantage by releasing content simultaneously on cable TV and streaming platforms to cater to consumers' diverse viewing preferences.
Where This Applies
- Cable Television
- Cable television networks can embrace alternative news outlets and cater to younger viewers by reducing ads and opening up to multi-platform distribution.
- Digital Media
- Digital media platforms can collaborate with alternative news outlets to provide simultaneous, multi-platform news release to attract young consumers.
- Marketing and Advertising
- Marketing and advertising agencies can learn from VICE's marketing innovation and discover new ways to reach younger audiences without inundating them with ads.
