HBO orders up more Vice

HBO in the US has ordered a second series of news magazine show Vice, from the maverick independent media organisation.

The 12 new episodes have been slated for 2014 and will be hosted by Shane Smith, founder of the new media company that shares the show’s name and is now rapidly expanding via its own YouTube channels.

The series, executive produced by Smith, Bill Maher and Eddy Moretti, follows the Vice team as they explore little-travelled parts of the world to uncover unusual stories.

“Vice’s fearless, irreverent style of news coverage has produced a uniquely provocative show,” said HBO programming president Michael Lombardo. “We look forward to more of their ground-breaking reporting in season two.”

The first series was coproduced by Vice Media and has its finale Friday at 23.00–23.30 ET, featuring a trip into North Korea by basketball star Dennis Rodman.

Other shows explored Nigeria’s oil industry and political assassinations in the Philippines.