Media group UTV has reported underlying pre-tax profits of £10.4m for the first half of the year, an increase of 12% on a year earlier. Turnover rose by 8% to £62m.
Profits in UTV's radio business grew by 31% to £9m, but television profits dropped 15% to £4.7m. New media profits jumped 51% to £900,000. An interim dividend of 3.3p will be paid.
Radio revenue was up 15% to £36.4m, with a 47% increase at its Irish stations. Irish radio profits rose by 65% to £3.6m, helped by the acquisition of Dublin's FM104 in April.
Television advertising revenue fell 4%, and UTV expects a further 5% fall in the third quarter. But the company says it will outperform the UK market.
