As I write, it has just gone a month since the year of Asian television came to a celebratory crescendo at the Awards ceremony in Singapore. Along with the new and tweaked award categories – which garnered some of the highest entries – it was also fantastic to see a number of fi rst time winners and a real diversity in programmes being awarded.

A bigger highlight of the day were our Showcase and Superpitch events. Not only did the day-long programme garner a healthy turn out – up from 137 in the previous year, to just under 400 in 2011, but the positive response from the industry – both regionally and elsewhere – was a reassuring pat on the back for content makers across the Asia-Pacifi c.

The Asian Television Forum also saw a marked increase in foot traffic, with an estimated US$188 million worth of deals closed by the end of its run, a 26 per cent increase on 2010. Organizers Reed Exhibitions and Reed MIDEM announced at the event they have entered a strategic alliance to build on ATF’s reputation and develop the market further as demand for Asia-made content continues to make headway in international markets.

For content makers, the priority this year is to continue to roll with the tide, meet the demand head on and land more locally-made shows on international shores. For regional channels and broadcasters, the challenge remains the fi ne balance between airing the hit international shows fast, whilst not forgetting the importance of supplying local stories to viewers – be it on the box or on other platforms, now a ubiquitous part of the equation.

This issue, we ask a number of industry execs what their wishes are for this year in TV. By far the most popular wish is to have a breakout hit out of Asia. Five years ago, implausible, today entirely possible. Personally, my three wishes are pretty simple; let us make more great tele, some more great tele and for me to perfect my salted caramel macarons (while watching great tele, of course).