may 2008 saw Trace TV add SingTel mio TV to its increasingly strong distribution in the region that also includes True Digital in Thailand, Astro in Indonesia, Chunghwa Telecom in Taiwan, The New Media Group in Japan and Dish TV in India. Originating in France, the channel’s initial international opportunities stemmed from countries in Africa, the Middle East and the French West Indies that had historical links with France. Targetting the world’s multicultural, multiethnic young urban generations (aged 11 to 35), the channel now claims a potential eight million viewers in France and one billion in the world. Laouchez, originally from Martinique (an overseas department of France) says that Trace was originally founded in response to the overwhelming demand for urban music and culture. “Other music channels did not meet the needs of the French multicultural and multi-ethnic diaspora around the world,” says Laouchez, “which emerged as a trend in many other markets. It soon became apparent that the same need for urban existed all over the world.” Trace TV features a wide genre of music, including R&B, Hip Hop, Soul, Groove, Dance, Electrico, Salsa, Reggae, World Music and Rap Fusion – with urban culture transcending geographical boundaries, as Laouchez explains. “Urban culture is the same the world over – it’s a way for urban youth to reconnect themselves. Spanning music, dance, lifestyle and sport – it’s very much the expression of the street.” A lucrative one at that, one would assume, given that Trace saw profit in 2006, only three years after launch in an industry where channels normally take twice that time to break even. Revenues come from fees paid by TV distributors, advertising, derived products, and brand licenses. Shareholders include the three founders: Claude Grunitzky, Olivier Laouchez, Richard Wayner; the Goldman Sachs Group; Universal Music Group, employees: as well as senior bank and media executives from France, USA, Brazil, Asia and Africa. Trace’s availability in 125 countries refers not just to its TV channels, but it other media properties including digital, radio, magazine, web and mobile. Still Laouchez says that 80 per cent of its EURO 10 million revenues are derived from TV, with about 20 percent from its fastest growing area – mobile. Indeed the cross-platform aspect seems key to Trace TV’s deal with SingTel’s mio TV. “Urban music is huge in this region and TRACE’s dedication to this brand of music and culture is sure to hit the spot with young audiences and further invigorate the street culture scene in Singapore,” commented SingTel’s Director of mio TV and Content, Low Ka Hoe. “We are especially pleased that the channel offers audiences a level of interactivity, as mio TV is all about catering content to the individual viewer,” he added. Trace’s programming targets over one billion urban youths around the world and will soon include special Asian programming blocks with the best Asian urban acts in the programme, Trace Asia. Trace also features Code, a worldwide tour of the latest urban trends captured by an international team of journalists including correspondents in Asia (Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong, Mumbai and soon, Singapore). Code covers a wide array of topics from urban dance to sport, technology to fashion, style to cinema. And one of the highlights of the channel is that local viewers can send in their coolest and funniest videos via www.mytrace.tv which will be aired in a segment called My Trace. Trace Urban Hits also looks set to be a hit with the connected youths, playing a daily refreshed exclusive selection of the best urban videos from the hottest urban music producers in the world. Guest Star is where viewers can watch their favourite urban icons get grilled in gruelling interview sessions. “We are excited to serve the sophisticated, trend-setting, music aficionado audience in Singapore,” said Laouchez. “The theme and feeling of the channel – the exchange of cool, new urban lifestyle and music on the top of cultural influences for an increasingly global urban movement – fits perfectly with the community marketing activities of mio TV.” Laouchez sees Singapore’s multiculturalism as a perfect fit with Trace TV, and is eyeing further distribution opportunities in the region. “We have deals with a number of mobile operators in Asia, and are in talks with Australia and New Zealand also. By the end of 2008, we expect to have between ten and fifteen more distribution contracts in the region. We will also have a website platform that is 100 percent dedicated to Asia,” says Laouchez.