above photo of Shane Smith of Vice Media founder
via Mashable:
Alternative media outlet Vice could soon be valued at a little more than $2 billion, according to two reports that broke late on Monday.
Time Warner, which just spun off its print magazine business Time Inc, is in talks to make an investment in Vice Media, according to reports from Sky and the Financial Times.
Sky valued the deal at around $2.2 billion while the FT called it between $2 billion and $3 billion.
Those valuations represent a significant mark up from the $1.4 billion valuation of Vice based on a 5% investment from 21st Century Fox.
Vice has been rapidly expanding thanks to these investments, rolling out a fresh news verticaland relaunching others like Motherboard, its tech section.
Sky claimed that HLN, the struggling cable news channel owned by Time Warner, could be involved in the deal. Vice currently distributes its gonzo video journalism through a popular YouTube channel and a show on HBO, which is also owned by Time Warner.
Time Warner declined to comment on the deal. Vice did not immediately return request for comment.
via Reuters:
In one of the potential structure under discussion, Time Warner may combine its cable news network HLN with Vice in return for roughly half the enlarged company, Sky reported.
Vice Media, the New York-based group whose edgy reportage has proved a hit with young people, said it April that it plans to sell more content to mainstream TV groups.
Time Warner declined to comment. Vice Media could not be immediately reached for comment. (Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee in Bangalore; Editing by Savio D'Souza)
