CBS Interactive and Vice Media announced a deal Monday where the two will collaborate to produce original tech-focused multiplatform content.
Sponsored by Microsoft Surface globally and Audi of America in the U.S., the series, “Dear Future,” will highlight major innovations like space travel, the ethics of genome editing, internet freedom, the future of virtual reality, robotics, artificial intelligence and the future of transportation, according to the companies.
The “Dear Future” series will run on CNET, CBS Interactive’s tech website, and Vice’s own technology-focused online magazine and video channel, Motherboard, as well as via their respective mobile and social platforms.
The first collaboration launches Sept. 11 with a look at the future of mind-controlled computers in the first of a collection of long-form pieces titled “How We’ll Eventually Control Everything With Our Minds.” A docu-series will follow this fall.
“As the world’s number one consumer tech media brand, our global audience looks to us to discover the unique stories that demonstrate how today’s technology will inform our future,” said CNET senior vice president and general manager Mark Larkin in a statement. “This partnership enables us to combine the editorial expertise of CNET and Motherboard to produce new and unique content that showcases the possible.”
The partnership comes a few months after Vice Media received a $450 million investment from private equity fund TPG that was geared toward helping the company launch and finance Vice Studios to produce scripted multi-screen programming to complement its library of news, documentary and reality programming. The media brand also said at the time it expected to use the money to build out its next generation of products and revenue streams, including OTT and direct-to-consumer offerings.
“Motherboard is this internet oracle for an audience that might as well be living 50 years in the future,” said Vice head of publishing Thobey Campion in a statement. “It’s gratifying to have found a kindred spirit in CNET, who can help us produce the most groundbreaking tech-focused stories around. The partnership also provides a very unique opportunity to bring this wealth of editorial and video to a greatly expanded global audience, ultimately waking people up to innovations that will impact all of humanity.”
