UTV profits up 30%

Multi-media group UTV has announced a 30% hike in operating profit before exceptional items to £12.4m (€18.2) for the six months to the end of June. The corresponding figure last year was £9.6m (€14.1m).

Operating profit at the group's radio operations was £6.3m (€9.3m), up from £1.9m (€2.8m) last year after deducting start-up losses of £1.4m (€2m) at two new radio stations, Talk 107 in Edinburgh and U105 in Belfast. The group said radio advertising in both Ireland and the UK grew by 16% on a like-for-like basis.