TRACE TV LAUNCHES IN NIGERIA

It’s official! International music brand TRACE Urban TV comes to Anglophone Africa,  founder Oliver Laouchez and Head, Sam Onyemelukwe to launch in Lagos

Nigeria makes another leap in global entertainment reckoning with the official launch of the global TRACE brand in the country this month. TRACE Urban, the company’s #1 international urban music channel has officially set up its offices in Nigeria to reach Nigeria and Anglophone Africa, with a mission to drive the industry with hit music videos, unique content, platforms, and reach.

“We are very excited to be on the ground,” said Sam Onyemelukwe, who is Head of Trace Urban Anglophone and was previously Business Development Manager for MTV Base. “With this move, which brings the brand closer to the Nigerian and African audience, TRACE is set to increase its playlist of home-grown music videos, but that’s just the beginning. As a Nigerian, I’m proud that this recognises the huge strides the local music industry has made, and the expanded space that is able to now absorb global buy-in and opportunities for artists, advertisers and viewers.”

The TRACE Urban channel is acknowledged as the most watched in public places all over Africa – and it is already the number one music TV channel in South Africa with a commanding popularity and numerous awards. This move is set to transform the fixture in the African entertainment industry, with a focus on Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa.   

Available in the “access” DSTV bouquet available to the largest number of viewers, TRACE Urban is also now spread to local terrestrial channels like Galaxy and NTA in the hub to reach as many as possible with prospects to spread to more parochial channels across Africa. It is also now officially open to the Nigerian market – already welcoming local products and sponsors, including Project Fame West Africa Season 4 and Hennessy Artistry Nigeria.

With a focus on hip-hop and R&B music videos featuring international urban hits, TRACE Urban combines top urban music videos, exclusive interviews of urban celebrities and original features related to urban culture including music, fashion, dance, sport, lifestyle and cinema. “Because urban culture has become dominant amongst young people across the world it clearly has earned its own television network,” said a statement from the company. “TRACE Urban Anglophone Africa follows in that tradition – it’s an unrelenting focus on urban music and urban culture especially for that 15 – 38 and young at heart demographic of Hip-hop and R&B fans.”

 Managed in Nigeria by Entertainment Management Company (EMC), TRACE Urban Anglophone will be officially unveiled at an intimate media and VIP event hosted at the Federal Palace Hotel Lagos on Thursday, 22 September. The event is hosted by the Founder and Managing Director of TRACE, Oliver Laouchez and the Head of Anglophone Africa, Sam Onyemelukwe.

ABOUT TRACE

Launched in 2003, TRACE is a brand and an international media group that provides contemporary music and sports entertainment content to a large and predominantly young audience.

 Its core business is original content and pay-tv channels, available in English and French, distributed in over 150 countries through 28 satellites and 200 carriage agreements. These include:

 TRACE Urban (HD and SD): A music channel dedicated to urban music and culture.

TRACE Tropical (SD): A music channel dedicated to tropical music and culture.

TRACE Sports (HD): An up close, factual and lifestyle entertainment channel dedicated to sports celebrities (launch in 4^th Quarter 2011)

 With the tag-line “We Love hip-hop and R&B” TRACE Urban gives a unique insight into urban music and culture and airs the most popular urban music genres focusing on the latest in R&B, hip-hop, dance, rhythmic pop, reggaeton. Its brand and content is also developed and licenced through all digital and multimedia platforms including web, mobile, radio and events.