ABS 2 is shown here in the antenna test facility at SSL before it was shipped to launch. Photo: SSL

[Via Satellite 04-27-2015] ABS and Trace announced an agreement to broadcast the Trace Urban international music channel via ABS 2’s global C-band beam across the Asia Pacific region. The channel, which features popular urban music genres such as R&B, hip-hop, dance, and rhythmic pop, will debut on May 1.

Trace Urban is available in 130 countries reaching 60 million subscribers, and covers all aspects of urban and youth culture with 90 percent music videos and 10 percent magazine and documentary programming. Its target audience is hip-hop and R&B fans in the 15 to 34 age group demographic, and has higher ratings than MTV in 60 countries with seven feeds worldwide, including a dedicated feed for Asia, according to Trace.