Disney, Fox, Hearst, Time Warner tied to Philip Morris through Vice Media

Four major US media companies are tied into Vice Media Inc., a 'global youth culture' brand that works for Philip Morris International (PMI).

 
In March 2016, the Financial Times’ Matthew Garrahan reported that a London ad agency owned by Vice Media produced video content for PMI, which operates in 180 markets. PMI can deploy Vice Media's nightlife videos on its web sites and in countries with weak tobacco marketing rules.
 
The Guardian reported on May 20, 2016 that the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids contacted Disney on 15 April 2016 about Vice Media's work for Philip Morris International. As of 20 May it had yet to receive an answer.
 
A privately-held company valued at $4 billion, Vice Media has high-profile backing:
 
• 21st Century Fox owns 5 percent of Vice, worth $200 million.
• The Walt Disney Company bought into Vice through its A&E Networks partnership with Hearst in 2014, then doubled its stake to 10 percent in December 2015, now worth $400 million.
• Time Warner carries a Vice weekly news show on HBO.
 
Vice Media’s double life — producing news and advertising — converges in London's Edition Worldwide Ltd. Directed by Vice execs, this firm produces news-like, 'white label' content for advertisers, with no Vice branding. 
 
Disney and Fox are named in a US class-action suit concerning tobacco promotion in youth-rated movies. Both companies may now be seen to benefit from Philip Morris International’s promotional spending. (Disney used to share its ad agency with Philip Morris USA.)
 
Time Warner and Hearst should also think twice about Vice. Two years ago, a Vice news crew vividly exposed cigarette marketing abuses in Indonesia. But since then, Vice marketers have been paid by Philip Morris International.
 
Sound like a story for Vice News? Don’t hold your breath.
 
Write these media company CEOs: Disney | Fox | Time Warner | Hearst
 
This item is cross-posted from the Smoke Free Movies blog at http://smokefreemovies.ucsf.edu/blog/disney-fox-hearst-time-warner-tied-...

 
This post was perpared by Jonathan Polansky, OnBeyond LLC.