SHANGHAI, Jun 17 -- SPENDING on copyright content by new media like online video Websites and mobile TV saw the biggest increase among all buyers at a just concluded television event as China's growing Internet population and mobile users demand better quality programs.

Still their budget accounted for only 2.9 percent of the total trading value of more than 700 million yuan (US$90 million) at the Shanghai Television Festival, the 13th held by the city which concluded yesterday.

Total spending by the new media, which also includes IPTV and digital TV channels, surged to 20.55 million yuan, with "the majority contracts signed by broadband video Websites," said Bao Xiaoqun, director of strategic development department of Shanghai Media Group, one of the event organizers.

"The increase in spending among new media in copyright content is the biggest this time," Bao said, without providing a specific figure.

Bao noted that it is also the first time that some program makers had chosen the new media as their only buyers at the TV festival.

More than 60 percent of the exhibitors look positively towards the development of new media, according to a survey of exhibitors.

China has the world's biggest number of mobile users at more than 400 million, and an Internet population of about 140 million, the world's second largest after the United States.

Around 100 million of the Web users have broadband access, allowing them to use online features like videos, and 17 million surf the Websites through their mobile phones.

Altogether 1,038 units of TV series and other programs were traded at the five-day event, a little less than last year.