by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released circulation statistics for the period October 2013 — December 2013 (ABC Q4 2013). Here are several consumer magazine ABC figures that popped out for us (see our newspaper ABC analysis here). We’ve also updated our list of the biggest circulating consumer magazines in SA!
Note: We compare the current figures with the same figures for this time last year and not with the previous quarter!
Overall, circulation has fallen to 5,912,001 from 6,463,916 in the previous corresponding reporting period (and from 6,050,593 in the previous quarter). Single copy sales stand at 3,974,366 and total paid (includes subscription figures) stand at 4,754,642. Paid-for digital copy sales stand at 76,823 (up from 69,581 in 2013 Q3).
Some insights:
- Entrepreneur has the biggest paid-for circulation of any business magazine in the country.
- Many titles in the entertainment, celeb category have seen a decline in circulation.
- Men’s Health sees a significant drop to 50,507 from 61,663; FHM falls to 25,690 from 28,084; but niche players in the men’s market are doing well.
- The sport & hobby category sees circulation fall to 398,734 from 478,795.
- Following a spectacular crash in circulation, Cosmo makes a slight comeback from the previous quarter to climb to 74,242 from 63,386 (but it’s still down from 86,885 in the previous corresponding reporting period).
- A bit of a bloodbath in the woman’s category — total circulation is down to 1,433,419 from 1,574,675. Good Housekeeping, Finesse and Ideas/Idees have all lost thousands of copies in circulation.
- Something isn’t sitting well with the Woman & Home ABCs. We explain why.
Business press
Entrepreneur climbs to 22,323 from 17,280 in the previous corresponding reporting period. Noseweek grows to 17,776 from 17,588 and Succeed to 22,395 from 19,178. Forbes Africa sits steady at 17,336 (slightly down from 17,538) — its total paid circulation is 6,769.
Financial Mail, which was revamped late last year, holds steady at 23,140 (down from 23,595). Finweek collapses to 13,217 from 23,456 (and falls from 14,013 in 2013 Q3). Interestingly, in terms of single-copy retail sales, Finweek outperforms FM, selling 4,209 copies to FMs 3,563.
Biggest circulating business magazines in terms of paid-for (sales, bulk and subscriptions) circulation:
Entrepreneur 22,114
Financial Mail 21,055
Noseweek 17,776
Personal Finance 13,319
Succeed Magazine 12,605
Finweek 10,727
Your Business Magazine 9,033
Forbes Africa 6,769
Biggest circulating business magazines in terms of total circulation:
Financial Mail 23,140
Succeed Magazine 22,395
Entrepreneur 22,323
Noseweek 17,776
Forbes Africa 17,336
Personal Finance 13,334
Finweek 13,217
Entertainment, celeb news
heat magazine grows to 28,446 from 27,945. Drum climbs to 120,241 from 118,793, but Huisgenoot falls to 261,224 from 270,310, 
and YOU sees a slight decline to 153,055 from 155,125. Bona sees a steep decline to 81,504 from 97,190.
People falls to 81,782 from 85,978. TV Plus (Afrikaans) falls to 35,303 from 37,667 while its English language edition falls to 39,411 from 41,889. Taalgenoot falls to 67,300 from 68,330. Rolling Stone sits at 8,723 (single copy sales 1,625, 1,500 digital copies). The Red Bulletin falls to 38,476 from 64,250. Live magazine is up to 50,731 from 48,167.
Home & Gardening, Leisure
In the home category, Conde Nast House & Garden falls to 43,725 from 45,144 and House & Leisure falls to 40,320 from 44,630. Tuin/Home falls to 80,970 from 82,430. SA Garden and Home declines to 55,006 from 57,224. Easy DIY holds steady at 23,379 (slightly down from 23,414). Elle Decoration grows to 25,552 from 23,630 while Food and Home Entertaining falls from 30,332 to 32,672. SA Home Owner grows to 39,633 from 37,824. Sarie Kos grows to 52,503 from 50,496 and Visi to 13,349 from 12,531.
Men’s market. Niche does well.
Blaque Magazine releases its first ABC certificate with a circulation of 14,638. Braintainment grows to 13,412 from 12,525 as does Destiny Man — to 20,922 from 19,251. FHM falls to 25,690 from 28,084 while Men’s Health sees a significant drop to 50,507 from 61,663. GQ also declines to 25,690 from 28,084. Popular Mechanics reports a slight decline to 43,283 from 43,863. Stuff falls to 18,352 from 25,317 (the publisher notes that the title changed frequency — up from six issues a year to 10). PC Format falls to 12,957 from 13,813 while gaming rival NAG climbs to 21,529 from 18,750.
Amakhosi magazine falls sharply to 29,079 from 36,756. Compleat Golfer falls to 9,783 from 14,380 and Golf Digest to 11,331 from 12,577. Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag climbs to 13,720 from 11,181 while SA Hunter jumps to 40,985 from 38,616. Kick Off falls to 40,804 from 52,328. The sport & hobby category sees circulation fall to 398,734 from 478,795.
Hitting the road
CAR magazine falls to 75,904 from 81,114, TopGear falls to 26,205 from 29,187 and TopCar to 15,495 from 17,548. Speed & Sound falls to 37,085 from 40,932. Drive Out/WegRy declines to 30,269 from 31,584 but Leisure Wheels grows to 19,627 from 18,035.
On the travel side, Getaway falls to 41,791 from 45,347 and Weg/Go to 70,448 from 73,949. SA Country Life comes in at 33,776 (down from 33,840).
Cosmo up on previous quarter
Cosmopolitan falls to 74,242 from 86,885 (but is up from 63,386 in Q3 2013). Meanwhile, Finesse seems to be doing a Cosmo — collapsing to 56,146 from 72,661. Not that long ago, both magazines sported ABCs of over 100 000. Destiny grows to 31,224 from 27,822 and Elle to 45,942 from 43,820.
Fair Lady falls to 55,343 form 57,522 and Glamour to 69,737 from 71,096. Good Housekeeping joins Cosmo and Finesse by collapsing from 55,357 to 70,932.
Ideas/Idees falls to 75,970 from 91,905. And let’s not forget Real magazine, falling to 33,769 from 54,055.
Marie Claire falls to 33,837 from 41,137 and Grazia falls to 21,518 from 23,182. O sees a significant decline, to 31,053 from 37,459. Rooi Rose is down to 96,844 from 112,381 while arch-rival Sarie falls to 92,768 from 93,473. True Love falls to 56,604 from 68,146, Woman & Home to 89,195 from 100,310 and Women’s Health to 55,453 from 60,187.
Something isn’t sitting well with the Woman & Home ABCs. There seems to be a pattern of growth in one quarter, followed by collapse in the next:
- Q4 2013 — collapse (89,195 from 100,310)
- Q3 2013 — growth (to 106,036 from 86,153)
- Q2 2013 — collapse (to 83,863 from 101,690)
- Q1 2013 — growth (to 90,830 from 86,160).
WTF, people?
Kuier looks good at 109,481, up from 94,926, as does Move!, growing to 131,227 from 113,500.
Fitness Magazine grows to 22,972 from 17,624 while Longevity falls to 17,217 from 22,339. Intiem sits at 31,696 (up slightly from 31,128). Soul, Saltwater Girl and Seventeen have all been discontinued.
The MarkLives Big Magazine list*
* By total circulation. Must have a cover price. Annuals excluded.
Movement on the Big Magazine list compared to 2013 Q3 data.
- Huisgenoot 261,224 –
- YOU 153,055 –
- Move! 131,227 –
- Drum 120,241 –
- Kuier 109,481 +2
- Rooi Rose 96,844 +2
- Sarie 92,768 +2
- Woman & Home 89,195 -3
- People 81,782 [re-entry]
- Bona 81,504 -4
Tuis/Home (80,970) falls out of Top 10.
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