Vice, HBO’s newsmagazine series produced with Vice Media, has been picked up for two more seasons, the network said Wednesday.
The series’ third season will premiere in 2015, followed by a fourth season in 2016. HBO put in an order for 14 episodes for the third season.
Vice founder Shane Smith hosts the show, which examines the most important current issues in the world, from government corruption to environmental disasters.
“The success of VICE on HBO proves that people are hungry to be engaged in world events when the storytelling is not packaged into sound bites,” HBO Programming President Michael Lombardo said in a statement. “VICE’s smart, honest, in-depth approach to news coverage is a perfect complement to HBO’s programming.”
Smith thanked HBO for renewing the show, adding that it has been an important part of his company’s growth.
“It has forced us to get better, to try harder and now, with two new seasons, we will keep striving to be better still,” Smith said. “We promise to report on the underreported, to tell the forgotten stories and to remain committed to uncovering the truth about our planet in peril. Here we come.”
Vice got off to a noteworthy start by making headlines for a trip inside North Korea with Dennis Rodman and members of the Harlem Globetrotters in 2013. Other stories have focused on corruption in Afghanistan, Nigerian oil pirates and Rio’s favelas. The first season also earned an Emmy nomination.
Vice is currently in its second season, with new episodes airing on Fridays at 11 p.m. after Real Time with Bill Maher. Executive producers include Maher, Smith, Eddy Moretti and BJ Levin. Fareed Zakaria is a consulting producer.