DC Thomson buoyed by Aberdeen Journals

A BETTER than expected performance from its Aberdeen newspaper business helped offset challenging conditions seen elsewhere by media group DC Thomson last year.

The company said the Aberdeen Journals group, bought from the Daily Mail & General Trust in 2006, had enjoyed one of its best years thanks to the strength of the north-east economy.

But difficult conditions across most of DC Thomson's operations together with rising costs saw overall pre-tax profits dip at the Dundee-based media group.

Despite a significant rise in revenue to £244.4m from £187.8m thanks to full-year contributions from the Aberdeen Journals and the Puzzler media business acquisitions, pre-tax profits were down to £65m from £66.7m in the financial year to March 31 2007.

The company said the group had experienced "challenging conditions in most areas of its operations" during a year of "consolidation and change".

It said it was investing heavily in staff and IT across the group to enable it to deal with major changes in the newspaper and publishing industry. Although it said the investment would hit profits in the short term the company believed it was fundamental to the long-term success of the business.