News Corp. yesterday reported a 24 percent drop in fiscal third-quarter profits — as it had a tough time measuring up to last year’s blockbuster hits “Avatar” and “Ice Age.”

The drop in News Corp.’s filmed entertainment segment profits, to $248 million from $497 million a year ago, nearly offset stellar performances from its cable network programming and television segments.

The media company, which owns The Post, said operating profit from its cable network segment increased 25 percent to $735 million, while its TV segment saw operating profits grow to $192 million, up from $40 million last year.

Fox is experiencing a resurgence thanks to the continued strength of “American Idol.” Fox also broadcast the Super Bowl during the period. The network is benefiting, too, from a new second revenue stream derived from retransmission consent agreements, which have pay-TV operators paying to transmit the channel.

The company expects to have agreements with 80 percent of cable operators by 2012.

Net income was $639 million, or 24 cents a share, missing analysts’ estimates by a penny. Total revenues dropped to $8.25 billion from $8.7 billion.

Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch, in a statement, said that the positive response to the company’s new film, “Rio,” and other upcoming releases “indicate the difficult comparisons in this segment over the past nine months are now behind us.”