Media Prima's Outlook

The version on Star Biz:

• Wednesday August 15, 2012
  Media Prima MD sees positive Q3
  KUALA LUMPUR: Media Prima Bhd group managing director Datuk Amrin Awaluddin says he expects the results of the third quarter to be better than the second quarter.
  
  “FY11 (financial year ended Dec 31, 2011) was very challenging especially in the fourth quarter, even for corporate results. Because (there are) a lot of activities in the third quarter and in the fourth quarter everything is quiet. We are targeting to perform better than in FY11,” he told a press conference yesterday.
  
  He said newsprint prices were on a downward trend because of the worldwide economic slowdown.
  
  The company reported that its second quarter net profits rose 27.8% to RM56.8mil on revenue of RM447.62mil from RM421.67mil in the previous corresponding period.
  
  It had also declared an interim single-tier dividend of 3 sen per share for FY12 which will be paid on Sept 28

Source: http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/8/15/business/11858278&sec=business

The version on Sun Daily:

• Media Prima warns of challenging outlook Posted on 14 August 2012 - 07:45pm
  Last updated on 14 August 2012 - 07:52pm
  
  Eva Yeong
  
  From left: Amrin, Media Prima chairman Datuk Johan Jaafar and group CFO Mohamad Ariff Ibrahim at the analysts and media briefing on its Q2 financial results. Saiful Hizam Mansor/THESUN
  
  KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 14, 2012): Media Prima Bhd, which posted a 27.7% rise in second-quarter net profit to RM56.8 million from RM44.4 million a year ago, has warned that the operating environment in the media industry will continue to be challenging.
  
  "(This is) not only for television, but across all the platforms that we are in, including radio and newspaper... (sales) cannibalisation is happening not just in specific media platforms but across all media platforms," its group managing director Datuk Amrin Awaluddin told reporters today when announcing Media Prima's financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2012.
  
  "In terms of the introduction of new pay channels, new platforms such as the advent of digital TV and mobile players becoming IPTV (Internet Protocol television) players, it poses a challenge but it is also good for Media Prima because we are a content company," he added.
  
  Media Prima is thus strategising itself to sell content and reduce its dependence on advertising revenue. TV and print media currently contribute 40% each to the group's revenue, with the rest coming from outdoor media, radio networks and new media.
  
  For Q2, Media Prima saw its revenue grow 6.16% to RM447.6 million from RM421.7 million a year ago, due to continuous investment in content creation.
  
  It declared an interim single-tier dividend of three sen per share for the current financial year ending Dec 31, 2012 (FY12), payable on Sept 28.
  
  Amrin also attributed the improved Q2 revenue to higher advertising spending during the Euro 2012 football tournament and a general improvement in the economy.
  
  "We will continue to be innovative in our business while developing new products and new markets. Our viewers watched the Euro 2012 matches not only via TV3 and ntv7, but through our Tonton portal as well as on big screens at our ground events," he said.
  
  However, Media Prima saw its net profit for the first half fall 2% to RM77.6 million from RM79.2 million a year ago, dragged down by a weak performance in Q1.
  
  Revenue rose 1% to RM782.9 million from RM775.9 million a year ago.
  
  For Q3, Amrin expects an improvement in the group's performance due to events and festivities namely Olympics Games, Hari Raya and Deepavali.
  
  "The big question is the fourth quarter of this year, with the impending general election and US presidential elections (taking place). For instance, Q42011 was a very challenging period where many companies' results were down due to the global economic uncertainty. We hope to have a better overall year but much depends on the economy," he said.
  
  The group has embarked on a strategy to solicit new types of advertisers such as small and medium enterprises, which hardly advertised in the past.

Source: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/463304 Confusing post titles?