ABC Analysis Q1 2013: Newspaper circulation decline continues

The ABC has released circulation statistics for the period January 2013 – March 2013 (ABC Q1 2013). Here are a couple of numbers that stood out in terms of newspaper circulations.

Note: We compare the current figures with the same figures for this time last year and not with the previous quarter.

For magazine circulation figures click here

ABC member circulation totals:
Weeklies: down to 630,268 from 697,254 for the previous corresponding period
Weekend: down to 2,292,053 from 2,443,855
Hydrid: down to 157,975 from 167,119
Dailies: down to 1,541,488 from 1,672,658

Shocking stat for the day: Out of 1,256,023 daily papers sold in South Africa only 2,894 were digital copies.

Daily newspapers

Beeld declined to 67,700 from 75,019 in the previous corresponding period. Pretoria News fell to 18,775 from 21,406. Sowetan held steady at 98,258 (compared to 98,128). The Star fell to 106,484 from 124,641.

The Cape Argus fell to 33,247 from 35,493, The Cape Times fell to 35,616 from 39,519. Die Burger (Eastern & Western Cape editions combined) rose sligtly to 62,237 from 61,980.

Daily News fell to 32,002 from 34,173. Isolezwe declined slightly to 116,186 from 117,266. The Witness fell to 19,001 from 20,222 and The Mercury fell to 31,025 from 32,098.

Business Day fell to 33,690 from 35,897. The Citizen fell to 63,854 from 68,632. The Times declined slightly to 142,117 from 142,111.

On the tabloid front the Daily Sun fell from 375,185 to 296,489 (it stood at 322,324 in Q4 2012). Son fell to 92,213 from 104,696

MarkLives Big Daily Newspaper List*

1. Daily Sun 296,489
2. The Times** 142,117
3. Isolezwe 116,186
4. The Star 106,484
5. Sowetan 98,258
6. Son 92,213
7. Beeld 67,700
8. The Citizen 63,854
9. Die Burger (Wes Kaap) 51,516
10 Cape Times 35,616

Weekly & Weekend papers

Saturday Beeld fell to 65,645 from 72,599 (ouch) and the Saturday edition of Die Burger (all regions) declined slightly to 78,301 from 79,566. The Saturday edition of The Citizen fell to 37,730 from 41,577. Saturday Star dropped to 76,897 from 91,843 (ouch and ouch). Weekend Argus (Saturday) fell to 43,114 from 44,819.

Super bad news for City Press – it saw its circulation fall to 118,547 from 163,705 (and down from  126,400 in Q4 2012). When will the turn around strategy actually, you know, turn things around? Rapport fell to 210,675 from 223,593. The Sunday Times dropped to 442,018 from 455,129.

What hapened at Ilanga Langesonto  – down to 61,918 from 83,174? On the upside there is Isolezwe ngeSonto climbing to 95,672 from 85,57 and Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo jumped to 80,792 from 69,695.

Sunday Sun fell to 169,412 from 210,846 and Sunday World dropped to 126,120 from 150,518. Sunday Tribune declined to 75,304 from 80,205.

On the weeklies front Ilanga fell to 117,115 from 144,268 while the Mail & Guardian fell to 45,279 from 47,922. Soccer Laduma saw a significant decline to 289,654 from 334,716 (it stood at 311,774 in Q4 2012).

MarkLives Biggest Circulation per issue Newspaper List*

1. Sunday Times 442,018
2. Daily Sun 296,489
3. Soccer Laduma 289,654
4. Rapport 210,675
5. Sunday Sun 169,412
6. The Times 142,117
7. Sunday World 126,120
8. City Press 118,547
9. Ilanga 117,115
10. Isolezwe 116,186

The Star 106,484

** ABC considers The Times a hydrid (paid-for and free to subscribers of The Sunday Times) newspaper.
* South African titles only. Must have cover price. Excludes Free papers.

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