Ian BurrellL: Vice forges innovative partnership

As the old boundaries between journalism and PR continue to shift with the development of the internet, some news organisations are finding innovative ways to work with partner organisations and amplify the impact of stories.

The youth-orientated Vice has skilfully aligned itself with the gay-rights group Stonewall to ensure maximum exposure for its new film, Young and Gay in Putin’s Russia, which highlights a rise in homophobic attacks.

By bringing Stonewall on board soon after the footage was shot, Vice ensured that the film will get the constant support of the campaign group’s large social-media network in the run-up to the Winter Olympics.

Stonewall said it had “advised” on the narrative of the film but that Vice retained editorial control. It’s a tactic we are likely to see more of, rather than relying on the old model of simply publishing and waiting for the world to take notice.