Shane Smith Scrambles to Save What’s Left of Vice, the Media Empire He Built – and Blew Up | Exclusive

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As Vice convulses in the throes of decline — Vice.com barely there, hundreds of journalists laid off — the latest plot twist seems almost scripted

Shane Smith, co-founder of VICE
Shane Smith, co-founder of VICE (Say Who and Chris Smith/TheWrap)

When Vice cofounder Shane Smith disappeared from public view five years ago, it seemed about time. 

The swashbuckling entrepreneur had cut a giant swath through media and finance for a decade with the promise of transformative change for news, the claim of millennials’ attention and a vision — or so he said — for building a $50 billion brand.

By that time, Smith himself was set. He’d built an empire, become a boldface name, partied his head off and gotten filthy rich. 

The problem was none of it was built to last. So now, as Vice convulses its way forward out of bankruptcy — with Vice TV on life support, Vice.com

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