• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, August 11, 2011

Top 10 cable operator Insight Communications, which is continuing to pursue a possible sale, swung to a profit and posted a slight revenue increase in the second quarter.

The company did, however, break the trend of cable operators showing ad sales gains with a tiny fall-off, but that can largely be attributed to the high tide of political dollars last year.

Customers fell by 2.1% to 759,400 in the quarter. While video subscribers dropped, broadband subscribers rose.

Insight Communications was purchased by the Carlyle Group -- which still retains a large stake -- in late 2005 and has retained Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and UBS to help it consider a divestiture or another strategic option.

Reuters reported in March that the company was seeking to value itself at up to $4 billion. Insight declined comment Thursday.

Ad sales dropped 2.8% to $10.1 million in the second quarter following highly contested Senate races in the three states where it has operations (Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio) last year.

For the quarter, the company came back from a $6.6 million loss a year ago to post a $7.3 million profit. Revenue was up nearly 2% to $270.5 million.