A Piece of the Bottom: VICE Shorts

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• published: 01 Jul 2014
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With more than 3,500 miles of coastline, Maine is America's biggest ocean frontier. Here, self-regulated lobstermen struggle to hang on to their way of life—even if it means fighting to the death for their piece of the bottom. Vice is an international magazine focused on arts, culture, and news topics. Founded in 1994 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in later years the company expanded into Vice Media, with divisions including the magazine, a website, a film production company, a record label, and a publishing imprint. As of March 2013, the magazine's editor-in-chief is Rocco Castoro[2] and its global editor is documentary filmmaker Andy Capper.[3] The magazine's editors have championed the "Immersionist" school of journalism, regarded as a DIY antithesis to the methods practiced by mainstream news outlets, and the monthly publication is frequently focused on a single theme. Established by Suroosh Alvi, Shane Smith, and Gavin McInnes, the magazine was launched in 1994 as the Voice of Montreal with government funding, and the intention of the founders was to provide work and a community service.[4] When the editors later sought to dissolve their commitments with the original publisher Alix Laurent, they bought him out and changed the name to Vice in 1996. In search of more streetwear advertising income, the magazine's personnel relocated to New York City in 1999.[5] Andy Capper co-founded the UK division of Vice with Andrew Creighton. Numerous media sources reported in mid-August 2013 that Rupert Murdoch's corporation 21st Century Fox had invested US$70 million in Vice Media, resulting in a 5 percent stake. Following the announcement, Smith explained, "We have set ourselves up to build a global platform but we have maintained control Content Scope VICE includes the work of journalists, columnists, fiction writers, graphic artists and cartoonists, and photographers. Vice's content has shifted from dealing mostly with independent arts and pop cultural matters to covering more serious news topics.[citation needed] The magazine's editors have championed the "Immersionist" school of journalism, regarded as something of a DIY antithesis to the methods practiced by mainstream news outlets, and has published an entire issue of articles written in accordance with this ethos. Entire issues of the magazine have also been dedicated to the concerns of Iraqi people,[8] Native Americans,[9] Russian people,[10] people with mental disorders,[11] and people with mental disabilities.[12] Vice also publishes an annual guide for students in the United Kingdom.[13] In 2007, a Vice announcement was published on the Internet: "After umpteen years of putting out what amounted to a reference book every month, we started to get bored with it. Besides, too many other magazines have ripped it and started doing their own lame take on themes. So we're going to do some issues, starting now, that have whatever we feel like putting in them."[14] Politics In a March 2008 interview with The Guardian, Smith was asked about the magazine's political allegiances and he stated, "We're not trying to say anything politically in a paradigmatic left/right way ... We don't do that because we don't believe in either side. Are my politics Democrat or Republican? I think both are horrific. And it doesn't matter anyway. Money runs America; money runs everywhere."[4] Founder Smith has stated: "I grew up being a socialist and I have problems with it because I grew up in Canada [and] I've spent a lot of time in Scandinavia, where I believe countries legislate out creativity. They cut off the tall trees. Everyone's a C-minus. I came to America from Canada because Canada is stultifyingly boring and incredibly hypocritical. Thanks, Canada."[5] Website VICE.com Vicelogo.PNG Web address vice.com Owner VICE Media Launched 2011 Alexa rank Increase 1,542 (August 2013)[15] Current status Active VICE originally founded its website as Viceland.com in 1996, as Vice.com was already owned. In 2007, it started VBS.tv as a domain, which prioritized videos over print, and had a number of shows for free such as The Vice Guide to Travel. In 2011, both Viceland.com and VBS.tv were combined into VICE.com.[16] The website has expanded and diversified to include a network of online video channels, including TheCreatorsProject.com, Motherboard.tv and Fightland.com, Noisey.com and Thu.mp.