HD drives BSkyB Interim Profits Rise
BSkyB, the United Kingdom based broadcasting group, which also owns the Sky Broadband internet service providing company, has reported a rise of 4 per cent in its first half profits of the financial year. It has been claimed by the group that behind the profit surge was the continuing popularity of its HD TV packages.
According to the satellite broadcasting company that is 39.1 per cent owned by the parent firm of The Times, News Corporation, interim profits had surged to GBP 401 million in the last six months of the year 2009. It has also been revealed that the number of its fresh subscribers signing up for Sky+HD amounted to almost half a million.
The total number of Sky household customers that have subscribed to the Sky+HD package, according to the broadband internet service provider’s claims comes to above two million. Furthermore, a total revenue rise to GBP 2.9 billion, which equate with 10 per cent, has been regarded by the company as ahead of expectations. The group also revealed that this was the factor that had increased its interim divident to 7.875 pence per share, which was 5 per cent.
However, the operating profits for the later half of 2009 was found to be a bit lesser than what was expected by the provider.
Sky speaking on the success said that the rise in profits would however help it to recoup the tedious pre-Christmas marketing and the heavy investment in the high-definition boxes.
