Daily Mail & General Trust posted a 19 per cent rise in first-half adjusted pretax profit to £77.4 million sterling from £65.2 million.
Turnover was slightly lower at £947.6 million, compared to £950 million last time, while reported pretax profit increased to £44.4 million, a rise of 38 per cent.
The group said April has seen a continuation of weak advertising revenues for its national titles and travel advertising has been particularly weak - which has also affected Teletext.
"May has seen some recovery, but we do not expect an improvement above pre-Iraq war levels in this financial year", it said adding that the regionals are seeing slowing recruitment revenues, although strong property advertising.
Elsewhere in the group, Euromoney and to a lesser extent dmg world media are experiencing some impact from the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome epidemic, it said.
Nevertheless, the group's businesses remain reassuringly strong, the group said.
PA
