Youth-focused publisher Pedestrian Group, part of Nine Entertainment, announced an exclusive Australian publishing deal with American-Canadian digital player VICE Media Group.
The two will maintain their unique editorial voices but local VICE staff will be folded into Pedestrian. Under the deal, there will be "absolutely no downsizing".
The combination will, initally, reach about 5.3 million Australians a month. The overlap between the two is just 7.76%, according to calculations using Nielsen numbers.
Pedestrian, with its local team of 100 people, will be the exclusive publishing and commercial partner for VICE Australia and will also launch Refinery29, an entertainment destination for women, in the Australia and New Zealand markets.
The deal follows a strategic review that led to Pedestrian Group’s stopping licensing POPSUGAR Australia after 12 years and ceasing representation of Tinder’s commercial interests in the local market.
Val Morgan Digital picked up POPSUGAR from US-based Group Nine Media.
Matt Rowley, CEO of Pedestrian, says VICE Australia and Refinery29 are the perfect addition to the Pedestrian portfolio.
“A year ago we held an internal strategic review that identified VICE and Refinery29 shaped spaces in our stable of brands; VICE to tell longer-form, in-depth stories of cultural significance and Refinery29 to address the issues and passions of young women in a voice that resonates now," says Rowley.
"We are beyond excited to invest the passion, creativity and scale of Pedestrian Group into VICE and Refinery29 in Australia and New Zealand, creating more great content for our readers and market-leading opportunities for clients.”
The editorial teams for both VICE Australia and the soon-to-be-launched Refinery29 Australia will operate separately under Pedestrian to preserve the uniqueness of both brands, according to Vanessa Lawrence, publisher of Pedestrian Group.
"Our goal certainly isn’t to ‘Pedestrianise’ VICE and Refinery29; as is the case with all our brands, the secret to their success in helping shape culture is a very distinct voice and approach to content," she says.
"We can't wait to get stuck in and build out editorial teams, initiatives and strategies that amplify the different identities of these two powerhouse brands, working closely with our new partners at VICE Media Group to do so."
Myki Slonim, President, VICE Digital at VICE Asia Pacific: "We’re looking at a range of strategic partnerships around the region to build our brands in innovative ways and share our content to wider audiences. This partnership with Pedestrian Group is an incredible opportunity to establish Refinery29 in Australia, and build on VICE’s reputation for culture-defining storytelling."
VICE Australia will begin operating under Pedestrian Group immediately, with local staff folding into the business.
This includes VICE senior reporter Gavin Butler and Victoria Yelland Riddell, Commercial Lead for VICE and Refinery29, who will join the team led by Pedestrian commercial director Rachel Tikey.
Refinery29 Australia, which VICE Media Group acquired in October 2019, will launch in the first half of 2021. Staff appointments and a number of editorial and commercial initiatives will be announced shortly.
VICE Media Group’s content partnership deal with public broadcaster SBS Australia, which was renewed in December last year, and its linear TV channel with SKY New Zealand is unchanged.
The new partnership does not include VICE Media Group’s other lines of businesses including VIRTUE, VICE Studios, VICE Distribution and i-D
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