Hot Topics:

Mounting costs hit Portugal's RTP

Broadcaster reports $57 million loss

Liveleak reinstates anti-Islam film

Cinema Libre falls for 'Disfigured'

Eros sells films to nets SET, Sahara

F/x take off the years(1797 views)

'Alice' continues to enchant auds(1244 views)

E! gets 'Pretty Wild'(751 views)

'Doctor Who' braces for new world(400 views)

Icahn launches hostile bid for Lionsgate(389 views)

LISBON � Portuguese pubcaster RTP reported a E36.1 million ($56.5 million) net loss last year on revenues of $492 million, compared with a $38 million net loss on revenues of $457 million in 2006.

The bigger loss in 2007 was caused primarily by new technology investments, a 12% increase in programming expenditure and rising interest payments on the group's $1.4 billion debt.

Some 75% of RTP's revenue derives from public sources � $197 million as a direct grant and $178 million from a license fee charged via electricity bills.

RTP reported higher ad revenues in 2007 � $117 million � due to the growing popularity of its flagship channel, RTP1, which has risen to second place in the national ratings (29.8% share in 2007), behind the front-runner TVI (34.3%) and a whisker ahead of SIC (29.7%).

Under the new chairman, Guilherme Costa, RTP is developing plans to launch two new TV channels � dedicated to children's and educational programming, respectively � on the new digital terrestrial TV platform that is due to be operational by the end of this year.