Vice Media: Two Terminations
A ‘documentary’ on abortion gone awry
This story was shared with me in the context of a larger discussion about unionization and the importance of journalistic guidelines.
Text has been modified for clarity. Names have been changed to protect the people involved.
not vice: I heard something rather unbelievable. A Vice reporter paid for a subject’s abortion and then they covered it up and canned the documentary. Is this common knowledge around the office?
Anonymous Vice Employee: Yes, I actually wanted to tell you earlier but worried about putting things in writing. The reporter was fired and it was 100% unethical and terrible for the woman in question.
not vice: Horrible for who? The reporter or the subject? Both I suppose …
Vice Employee: Horrible for the subject.
This is what I understand happened with Kelly — the reporter / producer / director.
Kelly pitched the story idea and was given the go-ahead to start pre-production on an American abortion story. Kelly found a suitable interview subject and planned to shoot with her. Due to the production schedule, Kelly had urged Jane to wait to get the abortion so that a Vice documentary crew could be there for it and include it in the shoot. Jane was concerned about waiting and about having to pay for a more expensive abortion as the time went on.
Jane was also concerned about the costs for travel and incidentals related to getting the abortion and for the procedure itself and Kelly, the producer, told her “We’ll take care of that” which Jane took to mean that Vice would pay for the abortion. Apparently, the shoot got delayed and this caused Jane to come dangerously close to the third trimester and missing the legal cut off for the abortion that would also expose her to increased medical risks resulting from late termination.
Jane was reasonably pissed and was afraid she was gonna be forced to have the baby because of Vice. Additionally, Jane was mistakenly under the impression that Vice was financing it. So now she has to have a late term abortion and pay for it herself. How a producer could suggest that to a subject is beyond me but having known Kelly, I know they’re 100% out for themselves and would have lied to get Jane to participate.
Once the executive producer found out about this the shoot/episode was cancelled and Kelly was immediately fired.
Kelly won’t be missed by me or my colleagues. Not only did our personalities clash, Kelly slept with a senior staff member in order to get power at Vice. Kelly is super young and green so the fact they were given so much responsibility / independence was extremely, extremely shortsighted on behalf of the company.
not vice: I’ve clarified what you’ve written and modified names. Is this accurate?
Vice Employee: Lots of rumors went swirling around the office, but there is one thing I would like to confirm — the shoot either got cancelled before the Executive Producer found out that Kelly offered to pay for the abortion (thus screwing the woman over) or the shoot got cancelled upon finding out (screwing her over either way).
Had you heard that VICE actually paid for the abortion? My version of the story makes it seem like the girl paid for it herself, but it’s highly likely they gave her hush money or something similar. I really don’t know the whole truth. Many people working closer to Kelly have since quit the company.
not vice: Someone told me “I don’t know the specifics, but Vice paid for a woman’s abortion. Afterwards they realized they fucked up and fired the host or whoever was on the story. But have tried to cover it up since …”
“Kelly” was reached for comment but did not reply. This article will be updated if further details come to light.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DANIEL VOSHART is a full-time designer and part-time muckraker from Toronto, Canada. He is working on a An Unofficial Guide to Vice Media.
