BSkyB posts robust results on broad product demand

Britain's BSkyB, which is in the process of buying Rupert Murdoch's pay-TV companies in Germany and Italy, reported slightly better than expected first-quarter profits due to a broad demand for its services.

Britain’s dominant pay-TV provider agreed in June to pay $9 billion to buy Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia to take its hunt for growth into Europe by creating a media powerhouse with 20 million customers.

The group said on Thursday it had added 46,000 net new TV customers in the three months to the end of September, boosting adjusted operating profit by 11 per cent to £316 million and slightly ahead of forecasts at £311 million .