Vice, Rogers launching Viceland channel

Canadian cable giant Rogers and Vice are teaming to launch the Viceland linear TV channel in Canada, where the hipster brand started out two decades ago.

Vice Media, which counts A+E, Disney and Fox among its investors, recently announced the launch of a US cable net in partnership with A+E. That JV is limited to the US and Vice has now teamed with Rogers for its Canadian launch.

Rogers and Vice struck a C$100 million (US$75.77 million) joint venture in late 2014 and Viceland will roll out in winter 2016 in Canada and be part of the Rogers Media stable of specialty channels.

It will replace the A+E Bio channel in the Rogers line-up with the biography net rebranded as Viceland.

Vice and Rogers said there will be locally-produced originals for the new Canadian net. The launch slate will include Vice shows Gaycation and Black Market with Michael K. Williams (The Wire).

“Today we’re at the most exciting place in our company’s history, and on the verge of launching a national television channel in the country that gave us our start 20 years ago,” said Vice Media cofounder Suroosh Alvi.

“Our new state-of-the-art production studio will give our family of creative geniuses a home in which to pursue their passions and make amazing content that will impact and change the Canadian media landscape as we know it.”

“We’re proud to be working with Vice to introduce a new voice in the media landscape through premium, original, cross-platform content that speaks directly to our millennial audience,” said Rick Brace, president, Rogers Media.

He added: “This Gen Y audience is not only looking for entertaining content, but something that reflects their values and views of the world. Through Viceland and content from the new Vice Canada studio, we will fill this void, bringing viewers a unique programming experience.”