Euro 2012 surge lifts TalkSport

The Olympics were a damp squib in terms of advertising, but blokey radio station TalkSport is still celebrating after a surge in revenues from Euro 2012.

Its parent company UTV Media saw turnover at its British radio division jump 16 per cent to £17.2m in the first six months of the year, sending operating profit up by nearly a fifth.

Scott Taunton, the managing director of the radio division, said investment in premium football rights, such as all 31 matches during Euro 2012, was paying off.

He also credited big-name presenters such as the former Sky Sports duo Richard Keys and Andy Gray and the decision to move from general news to just sports programming between 10pm and 6am. In addition, TalkSport has bought international audio rights to English Premier League games, giving it exposure outside the UK and Ireland.

TV revenues were down 3 per cent in the first half and the third quarter could be a shocker, falling by as much as 12 per cent.

Group pre-tax profits were flat at £11m, with revenues up 4 per cent at £61.6m.