UTV has announced that operating profits for 2006 were broadly flat at £24.8 million.
In the first six months of the current year, the UK radio market is expected to decline by 2% whilst UTV’s GB radio revenue is forecast to be broadly flat.
talkSPORT is expected to be up by 1.0% which, given the very strong comparative of the World Cup period in 2006, is a particularly good performance, said UTV.
UTV’s television division is expected to record a 1% reduction in first half revenue compared to an anticipated decline of around 10% for the ITV1 network. This would lead to a record share of about 3%.
Its new media division is forecast to deliver revenue growth of 15% in the first half, whilst the group expects to complete its strategic review of this division by the end of the second quarter.