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The platform will roll out in 2015, a statement from the
companies said.
Vice Chief Executive Officer Shane Smith said the companies
aimed to provide music-related programming that will appeal to
young audiences. Online and mobile research shows younger
audiences are passionate about music but dissatisfied with
programming options, he said.
"We see this as a tremendous opportunity to make groundbreaking
content," Smith said at a briefing with reporters.
Vice has built an audience of younger news viewers with a mix of
hard-hitting reporting out of Syria and Ukraine and other world
hot spots along with lighter coverage of culture and
entertainment. Investors in Vice include A+E Networks, which is
jointly owned by Walt Disney Co and Hearst Corp, and Rupert
Murdoch's 21st Century Fox.
The new music platform will include hundreds of hours of
original content including long- and short-form video series,
live music and other programming as well as ticket sales. The
programming will be supported by ads.
The content will include stories of artists returning to their
hometowns or the experiences of fans at music festivals. "There
are so many stories to be told before and after the show," Live
Nation CEO Michael Rapino said.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by James Dalgleish and Tom
Brown)
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