SKY TV 1H profit rises 22 percent as programming costs fall, more subscribers switch to MY SKY service

SKY TV 1H profit rises 22 percent  as programming costs fall, more subscribers switch to MY SKY service
By Tina Morrison Feb. 24 (BusinessDesk) – Sky Network Television, New Zealand’s dominant pay-TV company, posted a 22 percent gain in first half profit as it benefited from lower programming costs and as more subscribers switched to its premium MY SKY service. Net profit increased to $82.1 million in the six months ended Dec. 31, from $67.4 million in the year earlier period, Auckland-based Sky TV said in a statement. That beat First NZ Capital estimate of $74.1 million. Revenue rose 2.9 percent to $456.4 million and programming costs dropped...