UPDATE 1-Mediaset ad revs up 2-3 pct in first half

(Adds details on Sky Italia talks)

MILAN, July 3 (Reuters) - Mediaset's (MS.MI: Quote, Profile, Research) advertising revenues grew by 2-3 percent in the first half of the year, despite a weakening economy and a drop in consumer confidence, the vice chairman of Italy's biggest private broadcaster said.

"For the coming months we are optimistic, but it is difficult to make projections," Piersilvio Berlusconi said at a presentation of the autumn programming plans for the broadcaster's three channels late on Wednesday.

Finance Director Marco Giordani told reporters on the sidelines of the presentation that the company expected July advertising revenues to rise more than 3 percent.

Mediaset is owned by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Piersilvio Berlusconi also said Mediaset was still in talks to allow News Corp's (NWSa.N: Quote, Profile, Research) Sky Italia to broadcast the matches of some football clubs to which Mediaset had the rights.

But it had dropped from the talks the possibility of Sky Italia broadcasting three channels offered on Mediaset's Premium pay-TV offering, he said.

"We are dealing with football and other products but the three channels will remain an exclusive part of digital terrestrial (broadcasting)," he said. (Reporting by Ilaria Polleschi, editing by Will Waterman, Paul Bolding)