Carlton Communications has reported that profits for its media division, Carlton Media, were up 12% to $149m (£101m) in the six months to March 31, on turnover of $751m (£508m) up 13% from the corresponding period the previous year.

Film and video/DVD duplication unit Technicolor, currently up for sale with a price tag of around $2.5bn according to analysts, saw interim profits fall 7% to $111m (£75m) on turnover up 4% to $748m (£506.2m).

Carlton Communications recently announced a vital step forward in tackling the US cinema advertising market through the acquisition of New York-based Screenvision Cinema Network (Screendaily, May 23).

The $93.3m cash deal gives Carlton access to Screenvision's 65% share of the US screen advertising industry. Screenvision is the US market leader selling advertising in 32% of US cinemas which generated pre-tax earnings of $6.4m in 1999.