Newspaper group hit by advertising slowdown

Media giant Daily Mail and General Trust today said its UK titles had been hit by an “unprecedented” advertising slowdown as it revealed a 47% slump in half-year group profits.

The firm – which owns the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and a clutch of regional publications in its Northcliffe division – made pre-tax profits of £77m (€88m) in the six months to March 29, compared with £144m (€165m) in the same period last year.