ITV is set for a 20% jump in advertising revenues next month as it benefits from a marketing battle between BT and BSkyB ahead of the new football season.
The broadcaster's performance this summer is also being flattered by comparisons with last year, when television viewers were focused on the BBC's wall-to-wall coverage of the Olympics.
Announcing a 16% rise in half-year profits to £270 million, ITV said it expected to reverse a 3% drop in net advertising revenues in the first half of the year with growth of 12% in July and 20% in August.
Analysts believe the recovering UK economy is helping the performance, as well as the battle for pay TV viewers as BT promotes its new internet sports channel in time for the new Premier League season. Shares were 5% higher.
In an effort to offset the impact of volatile advertising markets, ITV has been spending on original TV content in order to grow earnings from its studios.
The group has been snapping up production companies behind programmes such as 24 Hours In A&E and the Graham Norton Show to build an arsenal of original content it can sell around the globe.
It recently bought the maker of comedies Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, paying £12.5 million for London-based production house Big Talk.
Profits at its studios arm rose 26% to £63 million in the six months to June 30, while the figure for broadcast and online was 7% higher to £228 million despite the half-year decline in advertising revenues.
Chief executive Adam Crozier said: "We're making good progress with our strategy of growing and rebalancing the business as we build new revenues streams and improve margins."
Revenues from areas other than advertising rose 11% to £568 million, driven by ITV Studios and online, pay television and interactive services.
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