Sky Television has defied the forces of competition that have begun tapping on the gates of its sports and entertainment empire by posting a higher half-year profit.

Sky TV lost a net total of about 700 subscribers over the course of last year, but still reported a $92.5 million profit after tax for the six months to December 31, up 12.7 per cent on the same period in 2013.

Income rose a modest 1.8 per cent to $464.5m as its 856,400 customers upped their average monthly spend on Sky by almost $2 a month to $79.43.

Sky forecast a profit of between $170m and $180m for the full year, towards the low end of guidance it had provided to investors in October.

Spark launched internet television service Lightbox in August and Sky lost the rights to PGA golf competitions to specialist sport startup Coliseum the following month.

Sky also faced increased indirect competition for consumers' discretionary home entertainment spending from internet providers which began pushing uncapped broadband plans more aggressively during the half year.

Several internet providers, including CallPlus brands Slingshot and Orcon, have been marketing uncapped broadband plans and a service called Global Mode as a means for customers to sign up to overseas-based internet television services.

Next month, United States internet television giant Netflix will add to the competition by launching a local service for New Zealand and Australia. The market turbulence appears to have had some impact on consumers with "gross churn" - the proportion of customers who quit Sky at some point during the half year - rising to 13.7 per cent from 13.3 per cent a year prior.

The improved profit was mainly as a result of reduced depreciation.

Competition also appears to be having a modest impact on the price Sky is having to pay to secure broadcasting rights. It spent 32 per cent of its receipts from customers on programming costs, up 1 percentage point from its 2014 financial year.

Sky will pay its shareholders a dividend of 15c a share for the half year, up from a 14c payout for the same period in 2013.