INDEPENDENT Newspapers notched up pre tax profits of £1 million a week during the first six months of this year.

Profits at the group, which increased by 28 per cent to £26 million, were aided by an improved performance from the company's subsidiary businesses in Ireland, Britain, South Africa, France, and Australia. Turnover increased by 9 per cent from £160 million to £182 million, while operating profit was 15 per scent better at £25.1 million.

Independent's fully diluted earnings per share excluding exceptional items increased from 6.07p to 6.97p and the interim dividend is being increased by 12 per cent from 2.05p to 2.3p.

The company incurred a £2.9 million loss in relation to its 46 per cent shareholding in Newspaper Publishing, which publishes the London In dependent and Independent on Sunday.

Independent Newspapers chief executive Mr Liam Healy said this loss was in line with expectations. The company had previously stated that its loss from Newspaper Publishing would be about £4 million for this year, and Mr Healy said yesterday that the 12 month loss would still be "around about that figure". Independent Newspapers is hopeful that Newspaper Publishing will be in the black by the end of next year, he added.

Mr Healy said the group was interested in applying for radio and television licences in South Africa, and hoped to use its base in Australia and New Zealand to explore opportunities in southeast Asia.

He declined to comment on reports that the group was about to announce a £50 million sterling regional newspaper acquisition in Britain.

Independent, which already operates radio stations in Australia and New Zealand, has formed a consortium with black interests in South Africa and is involved in bidding for licences in the Cape Town and Durban areas.

The company is also interesting in bidding for television licences, which are expected to become available in the medium term, according to Mr Healy. Any licence application would be made as part of a consortium, but it would "not necessarily" be the same grouping which was applying for the radio licences, he said.

The performance in Ireland was particularly strong as operating profits in Independent's core market increased by 35 per cent to £16.3 million. Turnover in the Republic increased from £70.9 million to £83.7 million boosted by rising circulation figures and advertising revenue.

Mr Healy said newspaper advertising revenue in the Republic had increased by about 15 per cent in general, but the group had outperformed the market. The three Abbey Street titles, the Irish Independent, the Evening Herald and the Sunday Independent had performed particularly well, he added.

Chairman Dr Tony O'Reilly, said in a statement that the results for the full year would show an improvement over 1995, and that the group "would continue to expand and develop our products in print, electronic media and outdoor advertising throughout the world". The results were broadly in line with expectations, analysts said. Independent's share price closed up 2p at 294p.