Singapore – Asia Television Forum, organized by Reed Exhibitions with support from Singapore’s Media Development Authority (MDA) drew to a close on Nov. 30 setting various records. Some 4,700 participants from more than 500 companies across 50 countries contributed to the event’s growth by 12% from 2006. In another positive sign, 140 companies attended for the first time. ATF’s conference programme concluded with delegates agreeing that Asian programming is increasing in global appeal and that co-productions with Asian partners are on the rise, thanks chiefly to the region’s growing production talent pool. While details of the deals closed at ATF are still being confirmed with full details to be released this week, the organizers revealed the total value will reach or exceed the expected US$60 million in business generated. That would be 25% up from the US$47 million worth of deals sealed in 2006, and almost 10 times the US$6.3 million worth of deals in 2002. One highlight of the 3-day content market and conference event was MDA’s agreements signed with the Philippines and France to strengthen bilateral media ties and encourage collaboration between companies from those countries. In one of the major deals, Singapore-based Mega Media’s production house Character Farm and distributor Six-Six-Eight licensed their co-production with MDA, Katakune, a CGI animated series about a silkworm, to Japan’s Hi Corporation for its mobile platform. The character will feature on phones’ menus and react to incoming calls and text messages. Six-Six-Eight also sold the series to China’s CCTV and 22 territories in the Middle East. In another transaction, Korea’s Iconix Entertainment sold animation series Pororo the Little Penguin to Italy’s RAI TV, Spain’s Cartoon Network, Middle East-based Al-Jazeera’s Children’s Channel and Mexico’s Televisa. The show is a co-prod between Korean companies Iconix and Ocon, with educational network EBS and telco Hanaro Telecom.