The company had wanted to float earlier, but its plans were hit by the downturn.
Chris Oakley, chief executive, of RIM, said: "In a normal environment we might have looked to float this year."
The company reported an increase in pre-tax operating profit of £44.1m, up by 8% on 2000. Turnover rose 3.5% to £175.3m against £169.3m last time, 84% of which was generated by RIM's newspaper activities. The company said that all advertising categories across the group, except non-local and motors, showed above-inflation growth.
Non-local advertising -- which is booked by agencies for their national clients -- was down 7%, after showing growth in the first half of the year. However, this type of advertising makes up less than 8% of RIM's total advertising revenue.
Motor advertising was down just 0.5%, but these losses were offset by local display advertising, which was up 5% on last year, and recruitment advertising, up by 6% despite a decline in the final quarter of 2001.
RIM Letterbox Direct, the group's direct mail distribution and publishing operation, which was established in 1999, saw revenues climb 11%.
The company said its new media business remains on course to break even by the end of 2002, after further revenue growth in 2001 of 58% to £2.2m. User numbers have more than doubled, to 8.3m.
RIM said that a review of costs, implemented in the second quarter of 2001, helped achieve savings in the second half of the year. The 8% rise in profit, before interest, tax, amortisation and exceptional items, internet activities and new business, reflects the resilience of the local advertising market, with RIM one of the few media companies not forced to lower forecasts during 2001.
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