Vice Magazine Joins CNN

CNN has unveiled strategic content partnerships with Vice magazine's VBS.TV and Sub Pop Records for the launch of two new youth-orientated web series.

The global news firm will this week start hosting video content from Vice on its website, along with travelogue footage by Sup Pop band the Handsome Furs.

Both collaborations are part of CNN's strategy to broaden the range of voices and perspectives in its news reporting.

Launched in 2007, online channel VBS.TV is overseen by creative director and renowned filmmaker Spike Jonze, along with Vice founders Shane Smith and Suroosh Alvi.

CNN will carry a new episode from VBS.TV every Wednesday, starting today with the Vice Guide To Liberia, in which Smith travels around the war-torn country, interviewing war lords and also citizens coping with the violence.

Each VBS.TV episode will be accompanied by field photography and editorial narratives to bring additional context to the stories.

"Most people who hear about this partnership will think, 'Vice and CNN, hmmm... That's an odd pair of bedfellows for you'. And you'd be right. The hipsters' Bible hooking up with the world's news leader is a bit odd," said Smith.

"But as our company began to evolve and cover stories around the globe, CNN was our first and only choice for a partner. In a world of hyper-partisan opinion-led news, CNN's credibility and reach put it in a class by itself. We couldn't be more excited with a partner unless it was Jimi Hendrix (nod to all the Baby Boomers out there) joining our rock and roll band."

CNN's partnership with Sub Pop focuses on indie band the Handsome Furs - made up of husband and wife duo Dan Boeckner and Alexei Perry - as they embark on a maiden tour of Asia.

Titled Indie Asia: On Tour with Handsome Furs, the series features travelogue footage captured by the duo on Flip cameras from China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Thailand. The first episode will go live tomorrow and be followed by a new instalment every Thursday.

"It's a real honour to be associated with such an amazing rock band, one so bent on bringing their wholly unique music to such far-flung parts of the world," said Sub Pop founder Jonathan Poneman.

"Likewise, it's an amazing opportunity for them and Sub Pop to be able to share Handsome Furs' experiences with the millions of people CNN.com reaches every day around the world. In the end, that sort of connection - on record, at shows and now on CNN.com - is the whole point."

CNN senior vice president and general manager KC Estenson added: "When we unveiled the new CNN.com, we wanted to showcase CNN's in-depth reporting, as well as introduce a new range of voices to our users through strategic partnerships.

"Indie Asia will provide users with a unique cultural travel log of Asia, while the original storytelling from VBS.TV promises to bring the CNN.com audience smart, alternative documentary-style videos." From here