Menu
28/08/2009
UTV Hit Hard By Recession
A regional TV station is reporting a sharp drop in advertising revenue.
UTV Media in Belfast has this week posted a sharp drop in pre-tax profits for the first six months of the year, blaming the ongoing slump in advertising revenues during the recession.
The company, which owns the North's ITV franchise and more than 20 radio stations elsewhere in the UK and in Ireland, revealed pre-tax profits for the period were down 30% to £7.8m and group operating profits dropped 29% to £11m.
Overall revenues were down 10% to £54.5m compared with the first half of 2008.
UTV's television division saw operating profits fall 61% from £4.7m to £1.8m with TV ad revenue down 23% in the first six months to £14m.
However, while television advertising revenue from Great Britain was broadly in line with the market, advertising revenue from the Irish Republic dropped by 40% in the half year reflecting reduced sales from multi-national customers.
Advertising revenue from Northern Ireland was relatively resilient, with only a 6% decline.
The company's radio business saw a 16% drop in operating profits to £8.2m.
UTV noted "an improving trend" in its radio division in Great Britain but said its Irish radio unit had seen a worse than anticipated decline in sales on a like for like basis.
UTV will not pay a dividend.
The news came at the same time as two of Northern Ireland best known newspapers are also reporting significant losses.
The world's oldest English language title, the Belfast News Letter and the Belfast Telegraph are suffering plummeting revenues.
The 'Tele is owned by Independent News & Media which has suffered a loss with advertising revenue not expected to recover this year.
It made a pre-tax loss of €48.5m (£42.7m) for the first six months of 2009, compared with a €96.6m profit in the first half of 2008.
The company warned that its full-year earnings would be at the bottom end of current expectations.
Advertising revenue was down 19.6% in the period and no recovery is expected in the second half of the year.
The News Letter publisher, Johnston Press, has also seen a decline in advertising in the recession.
Its advertising revenues shrank 32.7% in the first half of the year, with recruitment and property advertising particularly hard hit.
The firm, which also owns the weekly Times series that covers the whole of Northern Ireland, is also the publisher of the famous Scotsman, the Yorkshire Post.
See: Belfast 'Tele Reports News Of Losses
(BMcC/GK)
UTV Media in Belfast has this week posted a sharp drop in pre-tax profits for the first six months of the year, blaming the ongoing slump in advertising revenues during the recession.
The company, which owns the North's ITV franchise and more than 20 radio stations elsewhere in the UK and in Ireland, revealed pre-tax profits for the period were down 30% to £7.8m and group operating profits dropped 29% to £11m.
Overall revenues were down 10% to £54.5m compared with the first half of 2008.
UTV's television division saw operating profits fall 61% from £4.7m to £1.8m with TV ad revenue down 23% in the first six months to £14m.
However, while television advertising revenue from Great Britain was broadly in line with the market, advertising revenue from the Irish Republic dropped by 40% in the half year reflecting reduced sales from multi-national customers.
Advertising revenue from Northern Ireland was relatively resilient, with only a 6% decline.
The company's radio business saw a 16% drop in operating profits to £8.2m.
UTV noted "an improving trend" in its radio division in Great Britain but said its Irish radio unit had seen a worse than anticipated decline in sales on a like for like basis.
UTV will not pay a dividend.
The news came at the same time as two of Northern Ireland best known newspapers are also reporting significant losses.
The world's oldest English language title, the Belfast News Letter and the Belfast Telegraph are suffering plummeting revenues.
The 'Tele is owned by Independent News & Media which has suffered a loss with advertising revenue not expected to recover this year.
It made a pre-tax loss of €48.5m (£42.7m) for the first six months of 2009, compared with a €96.6m profit in the first half of 2008.
The company warned that its full-year earnings would be at the bottom end of current expectations.
Advertising revenue was down 19.6% in the period and no recovery is expected in the second half of the year.
The News Letter publisher, Johnston Press, has also seen a decline in advertising in the recession.
Its advertising revenues shrank 32.7% in the first half of the year, with recruitment and property advertising particularly hard hit.
The firm, which also owns the weekly Times series that covers the whole of Northern Ireland, is also the publisher of the famous Scotsman, the Yorkshire Post.
See: Belfast 'Tele Reports News Of Losses
(BMcC/GK)
Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
15 July 2016
Cigarettes And Tobacco Seized In North Cork
Revenue officers have seized 8,000 cigarettes and 26.5kg of rolling tobacco during a search at a house on the north side of Cork city. The 'Excellence'-branded cigarettes and 'Flandria'-branded tobacco have a retail value in excess of €16,855, representing a loss to the Exchequer of approximately €13,300.
Cigarettes And Tobacco Seized In North Cork
Revenue officers have seized 8,000 cigarettes and 26.5kg of rolling tobacco during a search at a house on the north side of Cork city. The 'Excellence'-branded cigarettes and 'Flandria'-branded tobacco have a retail value in excess of €16,855, representing a loss to the Exchequer of approximately €13,300.
16 June 2016
25,000 Cigarettes Seized In Co Cork
Revenue Officers in Cork have seized 25,000 cigarettes following a search operation at a house in Macroom. The cigarettes, branded 'Marlboro', 'L&M', 'Mayfair' and 'Che', have a retail value in excess of €13,000, representing a loss of around €10,400 to the Exchequer.
25,000 Cigarettes Seized In Co Cork
Revenue Officers in Cork have seized 25,000 cigarettes following a search operation at a house in Macroom. The cigarettes, branded 'Marlboro', 'L&M', 'Mayfair' and 'Che', have a retail value in excess of €13,000, representing a loss of around €10,400 to the Exchequer.
28 June 2013
Officers Seize €20,000 At Knock Airport
Revenue officers seized €20,000 in cash from a couple who landed in Knock airport having returned from Lanzarote. The can was concealed in items of clothing and carry-on luggage. The cash was seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act and investigations are continuing.
Officers Seize €20,000 At Knock Airport
Revenue officers seized €20,000 in cash from a couple who landed in Knock airport having returned from Lanzarote. The can was concealed in items of clothing and carry-on luggage. The cash was seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act and investigations are continuing.
12 March 2008
Cigarettes Seized In Laois
Revenue Commissioners have seized between eight and nine million contraband cigarettes in Co. Laois. It is understood that the cigarettes, which were valued at €3 million, were found in a container, which was wrongly delivered to an address in Durrow. It is believed that the container came from Spain and passed through Dublin Port.
Cigarettes Seized In Laois
Revenue Commissioners have seized between eight and nine million contraband cigarettes in Co. Laois. It is understood that the cigarettes, which were valued at €3 million, were found in a container, which was wrongly delivered to an address in Durrow. It is believed that the container came from Spain and passed through Dublin Port.
05 September 2018
Revenue Officers Seize Smuggled Cigarettes In Co Cork
Revenue officers have seized more than 36,500 smuggled cigarettes in a search operation in Mallow, Co Cork, with the assistance of Revenue detector dog Eva.
Revenue Officers Seize Smuggled Cigarettes In Co Cork
Revenue officers have seized more than 36,500 smuggled cigarettes in a search operation in Mallow, Co Cork, with the assistance of Revenue detector dog Eva.
-
Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:West to northwest gale force winds, severe along the north coast, will continue overnight. Frequent showers persist, merging into longer periods of rain at times and turning wintry. Minimum temperature 1 °C.
