French television production powerhouse Expand, a subsidiary of Vivendi Universal, has announced a Euros 4.5m loss for the first half of 2001, compared to a Euros 1.8m net profit in the same period last year.

Expand -- in which Vivendi Universal (through StudioCanal) upped its participation to a controlling 52.1% stake last August -- is expecting to see its full year revenues dip 10% and its operating result to be 'near breakeven'.

The company, which produces some 1800 hours of television programmes per year and handles a library of over 5000 hours of TV shows, registered sales of Euros 190m in 2000.