UPDATE 1-Media products firm Vitec profit up; raises div

* H1 adj pretax profit 12.6 mln stg vs 10.2 mln

* Interim dividend up 3 pct at 7.6p (Adds details)

Aug 24 (Reuters) - British media products firm Vitec Group (VTC.L) posted a 24 percent rise in first-half adjusted pretax profit on higher margins, and raised its interim dividend by 3 percent.

The supplier of camera and lighting equipment said on Tuesday it continued to expect good progress for the year as a whole, helped by stronger demand and cost control measures.

From January to June, pretax profit before special items was 12.6 million pounds ($19.5 million), compared with 10.2 million pounds last year. Operating margin improved to 8.7 percent from 6.8 percent.

However, revenue fell 5 percent to 152.5 million pounds mainly due to the end of a broadcast auxiliary services (BAS) contract, which was partially offset by sales growth in certain other areas.

Vitec shares, which have gained more than 40 percent over the past one year, closed at 422.25 pence on Monday on the London Stock Exchange. ($1=.6450 Pound) (Reporting by Tresa Sherin Morera in Bangalore; Editing by Jarshad Kakkrakandy)