"CEO Shane Smith's goal of "total media domination" took a major step forward on Thursday with the announcement that Vice had raised $500 million in funding evenly split from A&E Networks and technology investment firm Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV). ... A&E and TCV each took 10% stakes in Vice, valuing the Brooklyn-based company at $2.5 billion. ... The move paves the way for Vice to appear on television screens across the U.S. A&E, a joint venture between Disney and Hearst Ventures, operates 10 cable channels including some with broad distribution. A move into television beyond its HBO show is seen as a natural move for Vice. ... Vice has enjoyed a meteoric rise in value in the past year. The company had taken no known major investments until August 2013, when 21st Century Fox took a 5% stake that valued the company at $1.4 billion." #funding #media_companies #money #news #valuations #web_2.0 #pub