Shane Smith Scrambles to Save What’s Left of Vice, the Media Empire He Built – and Blew Up | Exclusive

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As Vice convulses in the throes of decline — Vice.com barely there, hundreds of journalists laid off — the latest plot twist seems almost scripted

Sharon Waxman
and
Shane Smith, co-founder of VICE
Shane Smith, co-founder of VICE (Say Who and Chris Smith/TheWrap)

When Vice cofounder Shane Smith disappeared from public view five years ago, it seemed about time. 

The swashbuckling entrepreneur had cut a giant swath through media and finance for a decade with the promise of transformative change for news, the claim of millennials’ attention and a vision — or so he said — for building a $50 billion brand.

By that time, Smith himself was set. He’d built an empire, become a boldface name, partied his head off and gotten filthy rich. 

The problem was none of it was built to last. So now, as Vice convulses its way forward out of bankruptcy — with Vice TV on life support, Vice.com

Sharon Waxman

Sharon Waxman

Sharon Waxman, is the founder, CEO and Editor in Chief of TheWrap. She is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author, and was a Hollywood correspondent for The New York Times. Twitter: @sharonwaxman

Comments

2 responses to “Shane Smith Scrambles to Save What’s Left of Vice, the Media Empire He Built – and Blew Up | Exclusive”

  1. Marines United Avatar
    Marines United

    Enjoying watching trash like Vice, go down. They are just as crooked as the rest with their work. Anything for that agenda of yours. Good riddance. I told you we would outlive you. 🖕

    Reply
  2. Alan Avatar
    Alan

    The funny thing about this is Vice was replaced by the main stream media. No need for a leftist media outlet when they are almost all there now

    Reply

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