MUMBAI: French fashion channel FTV is all set to relaunch its music channel MCM, which has been off air for a good while now, in the Asian region from 1 April under a new name Trace-By MCM.

Launching on Asiasat 3 and having a pan-Asian footprint, Trace-By MCM will be completely in English unlike its earlier French speaking avatar, FTV business development head Manivel Malone told indiantelevision.com on the sidelines of the ongoing Ficci Frames 2004.

The music the channel plays will be urban cutting-edge stuff and may also indulge in a bit of skin show via uncensored music video segments. The channel derives its name as it is a collaboration between TRACE, the US-based transcultural styles and ideas magazine, which reports on the interconnected worlds of music, fashion, film, art, politics and today's multiethnic youth and FTV.

Trace will be initially launched as a free to air offering but will ultimately be encrypted, said Malone. He further added that FTV would be launching an interactive gaming channel within the next few months. The details of the channel were still being finalized, he said. Malone had late last year, announced the proposed launch of three interactive channels, Malibu TV, Casino TV and Platinum TV, the first of which will apparently see the light of day shortly