P.M. BRIEFING : Murdoch News Corp. Profits Up 14%

NEW YORK — Rupert Murdoch’s global media empire, News Corp. Ltd., today unveiled a 14.5% jump in operating earnings in the first half of its financial year, including a small profit for its fledgling Fox television network.

News Corp. said its company-wide profit rose to $231 million in the six months ended Dec. 31 from $201 million a year earlier as sales jumped 21%. The results showed that the Fox Broadcasting Co., which News Corp. is trying to build into a fourth major U.S. television network, earned a small profit in the period, passing the break-even point in less time than most analysts had expected. News Corp. did not specify the amount of earnings produced by the unit, which had previously contributed a string of losses. Analysts figured it to be less than $1 million.