With its core free-to-air TV market weak, Nine Entertainment has found plenty to like from its acquisition of Fairfax Media last year.

Even with the range of costs from the acquisition, it managed to hold profit at $172 million - only one per cent down on last year - and will pay a five-cent interim dividend, almost double that last year at $85 million.

The former Fairfax metro division - anchored by the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age mastheads - and the Stan streaming service the two had shared contributed growth of 50 and 60 per cent respectively. Stan is expected to move into profit later this year.

Nine itself offset the weak FTA market by boosting share and cutting costs, while its own 9Now digital business also did well.

Chief executive Hugh Marks says the "merger" with Fairfax has created "Australia's pre-eminent media company", its diverse suite of assets now reaching more Australians each week than those of any other local media company.

"This half year result is a testimony to the new Nine," he said, "with around 55 per cent of our revenue coming from a stable base of broadcasting and 45 per cent coming from businesses that are in strong long term growth markets.

"We've been able to grow EBITDA through a more demanding operating environment, at the same time investing for the future of our business.

"Nine is now uniquely positioned through the combination of the operating strength of our traditional media assets as well as an increasing exposure to the continued transition of the market towards digital media assets."

The digital and publishing division - which includes Metro Media and 9Now, as well as other digital publishing titles including Pedestrian, CarAdvice and nine.com.au - reported revenue of $328 million. Less than half of this was derived from print, and less than half that again from print advertising, he said.

The combined EBITDA of $60 million was up 39 per cent for the half.

Metro Media reported overall revenue growth of four per cent after three years of single digit declines, and continued strong readership of group mastheads drove 12 pder cent growth in digital revenues. He also reported "stabilising" print revenues, both in terms of circulation and advertising. EBITDA increased by 58 per cent to $40 million, the fifth consecutive half of EBITDA growth for the Metro Media business.

In a BVOD market which grew by 41 per cent for the half to almost $60 million, 9Now "further increased" its share to 47.5 per cent for revenue growth of more than 50 per cent. Content such as Love Island, The Block and Manifest drove audiences throughout the half, with long form streams increasing by 66 per cent. 9Now increased its EBITDA contribution from $10.7 million to $16.4 million, up 54 per cent.

After a very strong period for sign-ups, wholly-owned Stan reported about 1.5 million active subscribers, increased usage per subscriber and revenue growth of 50 per cent.

Of assets Nine plans to get rid of, Australian Community Newspapers and Printing had a "difficult" half, with agricultural and regional markets and publications affected by the the Australia-wide drought, and EBITDA dropping by 42 per cent to $21 million.

In New Zealand, Stuff experienced "similarly difficult" advertising conditions, reporting an EBITDA decline of 23 per cent to $15 million.

After a review, Nine says it is "exploring potential value maximising opportunities" for these non-metropolitan media assets and events division.

Annual savings expected from merger synergies - originally estimated at at least $50 million - are now expected to reach $65 million.

With an expected improvement in the FTA market -partly driven by the upcoming federal election - reduced costs and growth in other areas, Nine is looking to growth of "at least ten per cent" on last year's period, and "positive momentum" at group level continuing into the 2020 financial year.