UPDATE 3-Naspers pins hopes on Internet unit, H1 profit up

* China web frenzy leads the way

* H1 core headline EPS up 36 pct

* Loses English Premier League rights in Nigeria

* CEO denies in talks with AOL to buy ICQ

* Shares down 1.44 pct, in line with broader mkt (Adds CEO denial of ICQ talks)

By Tiisetso Motsoeneng

JOHANNESBURG, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Africa's biggest media group, Naspers (NPNJn.J), rode the breakneck rise of its Chinese Internet portal Tencent to lift half year earnings and pinned hopes for future growth on its online business.

Tencent (0700.HK), in which Naspers holds a 46.5 pct stake, nearly doubled revenue to 2.1 billion rand ($285 million) as a growing number of web users surfed its range of instant messaging, e-mail, search and online gaming services. [ID:nHKG316200]

"We will continue growing our internet operations organically and through acquisitions," Naspers CEO Koos Bekker said. "We also expect to accelerate investment in new products and services over the next six months."