Archant has announced increased half-year pre-tax profits up five per cent to £12.7m.

Turnover was one per cent lower at £65.2m, according to the company's 2002 interim results statement.

The media group also said that for the 24 weeks to June 15, 2002, operating margins improved to 19.8 per cent from 18.6 per cent in 2001.

Chairman, Richard Jewson, said that he believes that the company could continue to increase profits.

In the financial statement, finance director Chris Lawrence said that newspaper advertising revenues were down, as expected.

But careful yield management and cost control meant the overall performance of Archant Regional had nevertheless improved.

Archant Regional publishes East Anglian Daily Times, Eastern Daily Press, Evening News (Norwich) and the Evening Star (Ipswich), plus more than 60 local weekly newspapers.

Mr Lawrence added that another subsidiary, Archant Lifestyle, the specialist and local magazine division, had also contributed to the increase in profits, benefiting both from acquisitions and new launches.

On the outlook for the full year, company chairman Richard Jewson said: "There are obvious concerns about the development of the UK economy, but unless things become a great deal worse, we believe that we can continue to advance profits."

And speaking specifically about the regional division, he said that the re-launch of the East Anglian Daily Times had worked well and that new print contracts had been won.

During the period an additional colour printing unit in Ipswich had been delivered and installation was going according to plan, with the Queen inaugurating the press extension when she visited the town in late July.

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