18 AUGUST 1984, Page 17

Thames on fire

Thames Television is looking more sale- , able than ever. Profits before tax up by half, to £13 million, in the year which ended in March. Growth was export-led, by sales of programmes overseas. Now Channel 4, Thames's biggest liability, is beginning to come round. Chairman Hugh Dundas says the outlook for Thames is bright. What he does not say is that the special shares available to those who work for Thames have rocketed in value. First, offered two years ago at 25p, they now change hands at a posted price of 115p. All other shares belong, half and half, to Thorn EMI and British Electric Traction. Both owners, for different reasons, need to underpin their share prices. Sweet Thames, run softly to market . . .