Advertising revenue for the six-month period ending March 30 2003 was up by 0.4%, although there were patches of weakness. Display advertising was down by 1%, and the company said February and March were increasingly weak due to the effects of the war in Iraq.
Classified advertising was up by 4%, despite a fall of 8% in recruitment advertising at the Evening Standard.
Daily Mail & General Trust, owner of Associated Newspapers, said that the fall in operating profits was due to continuing investment in Ireland on Sunday, after its relaunch in May 2002, and investment in the Evening Standard, which faces potential competition from Richard Desmond, should his proposed Evening Mail freesheet ever begin publishing.
The cost of promotional expenditure for the Mail on Sunday in March after a price increase also hit operating profits. Revenues for Associated remained steady at £419m.
At regional newspaper arm Northcliffe Newspapers, which publishes local titles including the Swansea Herald, the Aberdeen Evening Express and the Leicester Mercury, advertising revenue was up by 3% and recruitment advertising revenue increased by 7%.
DMGT said that adjusted profit before tax for the whole group was up by 19% to £77.4m.
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