TRACE Sports HD Launches into Asia via AsiaSat 5
Hong Kong, 8 August 2011 – Asia’s leading satellite operator Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) is pleased to announce that media group TRACE has signed a new lease agreement for additional C-band capacity on AsiaSat 5 to launch its new TRACE Sports HD channel in the Asia-Pacific region.
From 1 August, TRACE Sports HD debuts on Hong Kong Broadband Network’s bbtv, with more exciting carriage agreements in Asia to be announced in the coming months.
TRACE Sports HD offers the best stories about sports celebrities. With unprecedented access to the world’s sporting elite, it is a channel of entertainment, personal stories and lifestyle content dedicated to sports fans. The channel is broadcast in English with subtitles in Mandarin and Korean, and made available to cable, DTH, broadband and mobile platforms across Asia and Australasia.
“At TRACE Sports HD, we love champions, and therefore we are thrilled to further expand our partnership with AsiaSat, our champion satellite partner in Asia, to introduce our new HD service to the region’s passionate community of sports fans,” said Olivier Laouchez, Chairman and CEO of TRACE.
James Ross, CEO of Lightning International which represents TRACE in Asia, added, “Joining AsiaSat 5, one of Asia’s premier distribution platforms for HD services, allows us to further grow our viewership through their unprecedented coverage and excellent access to Asian pay TV platforms.”
“We are pleased that TRACE has chosen AsiaSat again to expand their brand and content in Asia. TRACE Sports HD’s unique and compelling programming coupled with superb image and sound quality, will definitely give Asian viewers more choice and an enhanced viewing experience,” said William Wade, President and CEO of AsiaSat.
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About TRACE
TRACE is an international brand and media group dedicated to 2 themes: music and sport celebrities. Their 5 music channels under the name of TRACE Urban and TRACE Tropical are present in 150 countries and available to 50 million subscribers via 26 satellites. The channels are ranked the Number 1, 2 or 3 music channels in 80 countries and licensed in 9 countries to mobile and radio operators. In June 2011, TRACE launched TRACE Sports HD, the first channel dedicated to sport celebrities. Olivier Laouchez created TRACE GROUP in 2003. With him the group is owned by his associated managers and two investment foundations that are Entrepreneurs Venture and Citizen Capital. Additional information on TRACE can be found at http://eng.trace.tv/
About AsiaSat 5
AsiaSat 5 is a Space Systems/Loral’s 1300 satellite launched in August 2009 and replaced AsiaSat 2 at the orbital location of 100.5 degrees East. AsiaSat 5 carries 26 C-band and 14 Ku-band transponders, and has a design life of 15 years. Its powerful C-band footprint covers over 50 countries and regions spanning from Russia to New Zealand and from Japan to the Middle East and parts of Africa. The Ku-band coverage consists of two high powered fixed beams serving East Asia and South Asia, as well as a steerable beam currently positioned over Indochina.
About AsiaSat
AsiaSat, the leading regional satellite operator in Asia, serves over two-thirds of the world’s population with its three satellites, AsiaSat 3S at 105.5ºE, AsiaSat 4 at 122ºE and AsiaSat 5 at 100.5ºE. The AsiaSat satellite fleet provides services to both the broadcast and telecommunications industries. Over 500 television and radio channels are now delivered by the company’s satellites, reaching over 96 million households, with more than 360 million viewers across the Asia-Pacific region. AsiaSat also provides operators and end users telecommunications services such as voice networks, private VSAT networks and broadband multimedia services. AsiaSat is building a new satellite AsiaSat 7, planned for launch in Q4 2011. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Asia Satellite Telecommunications Holdings Limited, a company listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (Stock Code: 1135). For more information, please visit www.asiasat.com
Media inquiries:
TRACE
Kiri Sinclair, Sinclair Communications
Tel : (852) 2915 1534
Email : kiri@sinclairasia.com
Asia Satellite Telecommunications Company Limited
Sabrina Cubbon, Vice President, Sales and Marketing
Tel : (852) 2500 0899
Mobile : (852) 9097 1210
Email : scubbon@asiasat.com
Winnie Pang, Manager, Corporate Affairs
Tel : (852) 2500 0880
Email : wpang@asiasat.com