TalkSPORT World Cup Revenue Growth

Ulster Television (UTV) expects its talkSPORT radio station to receive a World Cup revenue boost (see TalkSPORT Campaign Reaches Fever Pitch), and agrees with commentators that ITV1 will not do as well from the tournament as had been anticipated.

UTV chairman John McGuckian was speaking at the company’s AGM today, where he said that UTV expected a World Cup-driven 15% rise in GB radio advertising revenue for the six months up to June 30, in comparison with a 2% overall decline in the market for the same period.

However, speaking about adverse trading conditions in the television advertising market, Mr McGuckian said: “The expected stimulus to the market of the football World Cup in June has not materialised and we are now forecasting our television advertising revenue to be down by 6% in the first half of 2006.

“While this would significantly outperform ITV1 and take our share of network revenue to a record high of 2.8%, nevertheless the anticipated reduction in revenue, coupled with increased network programme costs in respect of the World Cup, will put margins under pressure.”

UTV also predicts that it will benefit from the broadband boom, with its internet division expected to increase revenue by 16% in the first six months of the year.

talkSPORT: 020 7959 7800 www.talksport.co.uk