Ulster Television profits locked on freeze frame

Ulster Television warned this week that increased competition would affect its profit-making capacity in the current financial year and that profit growth was likely to be only "modest". In an effective standstill financial year to end-December, turnover inched ahead to £34.8 million and profits slipped to £8.26 million from £9 million. More significantly its audience share eased by nearly 3 per cent to 39 per cent.

Advertising revenue, the core income stream for any private broadcaster, is expected to come under further pressure this autumn with the advent of digital television. Despite a financial performance on free frame UTV has increased shareholders' total dividends, which rise from 5.1p a share to 5.7p.