Record pre-tax profit for TalkSport’s owner UTV
NORTHERN Irish broadcaster UTV Media yesterday reported a 10 per cent rise in adjusted full-year profits to a record £23.3m, up from £21.3m, on a six per cent revenue growth in its Radio GB division.
UTV Media, which operates in four main areas – radio in Great Britain, radio in Ireland, commercial television and new media – grew group revenues two per cent to £121.6m.
“It is expected that the major sporting events during the summer of 2012 – the UEFA Euro championships and the London Olympics – will have a positive impact in attracting a large volume of both listeners and viewers to our radio and television output,” the company said.
The firm said its Great Britain radio division revenue was expected to rise eight per cent in the first four months of 2012, but its television division would see revenue fall by five per cent during the period.
UTV Media, which owns the football broadcaster TalkSport, proposed a final dividend of 4.5p and upped its full-year payout by 50 per cent to 6p. Shares dropped four per cent to close at 139p.