BSkyB profits on high definition

Pay-TV group BSkyB says pre-tax profits more than doubled to £707m during the nine months to March.

BSkyB reports a 40% rise in first quarter profits, helped by strong demand from new customers for high definition viewing.

Satellite TV group BSkyB reports a 30% rise in half-year profits, lifted by cost-cutting and increased subscription numbers.

British pay-TV giant BSkyB announced on Thursday that first-half net profits leapt 54.2 percent on the back of higher revenues and cost cutting, despite the uncertain economic outlook.Net profits surged to 256 million pounds (295 million euros, 416 million dollars) in the six months to December 31, compared with 166 million pounds in the same part of the previous fiscal year, BSkyB said in a results statement.

British Sky Broadcasting posted forecast-beating fiscal third-quarter numbers, as more Britons signed up to its pay television service and existing customers upgraded to high-definition TV.

British pay-TV giant BSkyB said Thursday that annual net profits more than trebled as it closed in on its target of 10 million customers.BSkyB, which last month rejected a bid from Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. for full control of the company, said profit after tax soared to 878 million pounds (1.051 billion euros, 1.373 billion dollars) in the 12 months to June 30 compared with 259 million pounds in 2008/09.BSkyB said it added 90,000 customers in the fourth quarter, taking its total number of subscribers to 9.86 million.

U.K. pay-TV operator British Sky Broadcasting Group reported solid fourth-quarter earnings and sales, bolstered by a one-time gain and the take-up of its high-definition television offer.