Trace begins marketing sports channel to pay-TV platforms

French urban media company Trace is to kick off marketing activities for the forthcoming launch of its Trace Sports channel with a pre-launch party in Johannesburg, South Africa featuring sports and music celebrities, TV distributors and advertisers, hosted by footballer Christian Karembeu.

The channel has been broadcast in pilot mode in HD on the Eutelsat Hot Bird 9 since June 3. Trace is using the World Cup to present it to international pay-TV distributors ahead of its planned commercial launch in the second quarter of 2011.