To IPO Or Not To IPO? That Is Vice Media's Question

Shane Smith is the CEO of Vice Media, a digital media broadcasting company known for its edgy news reporting and documentaries that attract Millennials.

'Though This Be Madness, Yet There Is Method In't'

One of Vice's most popular videos has been the "VICE Guide to North Korea," where Smith filmed part of his tour in the country and was "witness to the craziness of this hermit nation."

The media company dates back to its early beginnings in Montreal, Canada, in the 1990s. The company has since moved to Brooklyn and has grown to become a multi-billion dollar company, which has attracted two separate equity investments from Walt Disney Co (NYSE: DIS), in addition to other notable players in traditional media.

Related Link: Disney Said To Bid For Vice Media -NY Post

Individual investors have been hopeful the company would file for an initial public offering so they can also get in on the action.

Speaking to CNBC, Smith stated that now is the best time to be a content creator, and he is busy overseeing an expansion of his content into dozens of countries.

'Ay, There's The Rub'

Smith also said that his company is "having a very good year," but at some point, he will be priced out of the market. He added that if the company were to sell itself, then companies like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Facebook Inc (NASDAQ: FB) and Snapchat could create "a lot of synergies."

Smith also suggested he would need to decide perhaps this year if the company will file for an initial public offering or sell itself outright.