I just found that this is on my cable service now (Verizon). The content is limited at the moment and a glance at the schedule guide shows a nauseating level of repetition. But I hope it grows and succeeds. I’ve always liked their YouTube content, and hope that they will bring forth the type of stuff that I think is actually worth spending time on . . . . primarily stuff that is terrifying, gross, and just completely out there. The online docs on criminal organizations, meth labs, Krokodil, Scopalomine, teen prostitutes, etc. . . . was all great stuff!
The Thomas Morton “Balls Deep” series on the channel looks promising as I’d seen a few of his shows on YouTube which were always good.
Another show is “Weediquette”. It is boring as hell. I’m sure there is a market for it. The tokers that still think it’s exciting and edgy to talk about medical marijuana and such. Whatever. Continuous 30-60 minute episodes with droning interviews with advocacy representatives and doctors . . . . uuggghhh, just kill me.
Anyway, I’m skeptically hopeful for this channel. I like documentary and true life type stuff. I just want the material to be interesting.
Oh, there’s also a show called “Gaycation” which is even worse than “Weediquette”. It’s that hideous muppet from “Juno” trotting around the world showing us a global outlook of the LGBT scene. I only watched about 5 minutes of it as the remote control was further away than my arm.
Vice is one of those cultural institutions that I still can’t figure out.
On one hand, I’ve found their international coverage to be far more interesting than what most of the media allow. And with far greater potential risk to the people actually filming it.
On the other hand, though, I can never tell if they just want to enlighten people about “the absurdity of the world” (I think this is part of their actual mission statement), or if there’s some more focused ‘activist’ mission than that. My guess would be the former. When I was still reading the magazine there would always be some consciousness-raising editorial like “you think your life is hard? Try living in an EL SALVADORAN FUCKING PRISON!”, next to some full-page ad for sweatshop-manufactured sneakers.
On the other hand, though, I can never tell if they just want to enlighten people about “the absurdity of the world” (I think this is part of their actual mission statement), or if there’s some more focused ‘activist’ mission than that. My guess would be the former. When I was still reading the magazine there would always be some consciousness-raising editorial like “you think your life is hard? Try living in an EL SALVADORAN FUCKING PRISON!”, next to some full-page ad for sweatshop-manufactured sneakers.
It seems that Jonze doesn’t necessarily have a particular “agenda” with everything (aside from the generic “getting people to think/ question” type of bullshit) but he does say that he wants his programming to be opinionated and purposeful.
I like his transparency of that mission and its honest statement.
"Creative director Spike Jonze stated that his goal for Viceland was to make its lineup have “a reason to exist and a strong point of view”, rather than be just a “collection of shows”. Jonze explained that Viceland would continue to reflect Vice’s core mission of “trying to understand the world we live in by producing pieces about things we’re curious about or confused about or that we think are funny. And if it doesn’t have a strong point of view, then it shouldn’t be on this channel.”[4] Smith stated that the channel’s main goal was “trying not to be shitty”.[14] Viceland will focus primarily on lifestyle content; Vice News content will remain largely exclusive to Vice’s existing joint venture with HBO.[14] Jonze stated that unlike the HBO content, Viceland would be “far from objective [reporting]”.