Globosat buys into Vice Brazil in expansion push

Vice Media and Globosat will partner to expand the Vice brand’s local presence across online, mobile and linear in Brazil.

Vice CEO Shane Smith

Under the agreement, Globosat will take a significant minority stake in Vice Brazil, and see Vice grow its portfolio of youth focused digital channels and library of original video content.

The partnership between Vice and Globosat will also see Globosat TV channels distributing branded blocks of Vice by the end of 2017, with Vice retaining full editorial control of its content.

The Viceland channel is one the fastest-distributed new channels on the international TV market, with Vice pushing it into more than 50 territories less than 18 months after debuting on US cable.

The partnership will also see Vice Brazil continuing to expand by significantly growing its local video production facilities and creating even more original content for young people across Brazil, a country with well over 50 million young people.

Alberto Pecegueiro, CEO of Globosat, said: “Vice Brazil has done innovative work in the communication industry by developing content users identify with as reflecting their causes and interests.

“It is an honor for us to be associated with this talent and we want to contribute to the growth of these brands. I believe this partnership will help us deliver more to these consumers who are increasingly present in the digital media”.

James Schwab, co-president of Vice Media, said: “Brazil is a key market for Vice as we continue to expand to every corner of the globe.

“With the country’s massive youth population and growing appetite for award-winning programming on every screen, this partnership with Globosat presents the ideal opportunity to develop even more amazing local content and stories, and transport them around world to audiences everywhere.”