ABC Analysis Q3 2014: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa •

by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released consumer-magazine circulation statistics for the period July–September 2014 (ABC Q3 2014). (See our newspaper ABC analysis here.)

Here are several consumer magazine ABC figures that stand out for us. 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. Green equals growth, dark red equals decline, purple equals maintained and orange equals discontinued.

Decreased

Consumer-magazine circulation has decreased by 3% (176 000 copies) over the previous quarter. Total circulation has fallen to 5 766 119 from 6 010 568 in the corresponding reporting period.

Single copy sales stand at 3 711 874 (down from 3 859 455 in Q2 2014) and total paid (includes subscription figures) stand at 4 454 692 (down from 4 722 323 in Q2 2014). Paid-for replica PDF copies (digital copy sales at 50% plus of retail price) stand at 79 910 (down from 89 144 in Q1 2014 and 80 561 in Q2 2014).

Some 116 806 copies can be attributed to distribution at less than 50% (on average) of the title-cover price. This is down significantly from the 217 366 copies reported in the Q1 2014 reporting period.

Commend Media24

We commend Media24 for revising how it tallies digital copy sales through bundled subscriptions offered by Media24 Magazines via its Kaboedel/The Bundle service, which skewed rate card numbers and offered a false reflection of the circulation health of individual titles. Instead of reflecting the sales of the bundled PDF replica titles, it is now only claiming the actual downloads of each title.

Some insights

Media24 has set right the mess it made in the Q2 reporting period through its inclusion of bulk PDF titles. Instead of reflecting the sales of the bundled PDF replica titles, it is now only claiming the actual downloads of each title.
Financial Mail returns as the biggest-circulating business magazine in terms of paid-for (sales, bulk and subscriptions) circulation.
Succeed Magazine and PC Format have been discontinued.
Neither golfing title now circulates above 10 000 — Golf Digest stands at 8 583, down from 11 547 and Compleat Golfer at 9 424, down from 10 700.

The business press

Financial Mail has declined to 20 343 from 22 551 in the corresponding previous reporting period but is up on Q2 2014 (19 866). Finweek is down to 12 075 from 14 013 after the Kaboedel debacle shot up its circulation numbers to 23 782 in Q2 2014.

Entrepreneur has fallen to 18 274 from 20 609. Forbes Africa has grown to 15 285 from 14 890 (note it did drop 7 620 copies as Bulk Non-Requested) and Green Business Journal to 7 798 from 5 563. Noseweek manages the exact same circulation figure as in the corresponding previous reporting period (17 312).

Personal Finance has grown to 13 334 from 11 647. Your Business Magazine has grown to 11 088 from 10 153. Succeed Magazine has been discontinued.

Farmer’s Weekly has fallen to 14 632 from 15 138 and Landbouweekblad to 34 103 from 36 802.

Biggest-circulating business magazines in terms of paid-for (sales, bulk and subscriptions) circulation:

Financial Mail: 18 258
Entrepreneur: 17 721
Noseweek: 17 138
Personal Finance: 13 319
Finweek: 9 572
Your Business: 9 155
Forbes Africa: 7 379

Biggest-circulating business magazines in terms of total circulation:

Financial Mail: 20 343
Entrepreneur: 18 274
Noseweek: 17 032
Forbes Africa: 15 285
Personal Finance: 13 334
Finweek: 12 075
Your Business: 11 088

Entertainment & celeb news

heat magazine has declined to 25 320 from 29 139. People has fallen to 67 378 from 77 201. TV Plus (Afrikaans) is up slightly to 36 243 from 36 055 but the English edition falls to 38 523 from 42 586.

Bona has fallen to 87 626 to 104 234, Drum to 107 626 from 113 555, Huisgenoot to 258 803 from 277 577 and YOU to 139 873 from 161 200.

The Big Issue sees an increase to 12 218 from 11 736.

Home & gardening, leisure

Conde Nast House & Garden has declined to 40 052 from 45 874 and Easy DYI to 13 333 from 23 379. Food and Home Entertaining has fallen to 31 139 from 31 810 and House & Leisure to 43 154 from 44 071.

Elle Decoration has grown to 25 025 from 24 044, SA Home Owner to 42 500 from 39 719 and SA Garden and Home to 62 811 from 61 059. Tuis Home has climbed to 94 207 from 82 994 and Visi to 15 778 from 11 026. Taste is listed as a custom magazine – circulation has grown to 30 115 from 25 651 (single copy sales: 23 630). Fresh Living has declined to 67 031 from 72 424 (single copy sales: 46 101).

Men’s market

Blaque Magazine has repeated its Q2 performance in Q3 with a circulation figure of 16 089. Braintainment has continued its growth trajectory, up 15 443, compared to 13 133 in the previous corresponding reporting period. Destiny Man is up to 22 517 from 18 730.

GQ has fallen back to 25 167 from 29 675 — but it now publishes 11 copies a year instead of 10.

Men’s Health has fallen to 48 733 from 56 022, and Popular Mechanics to 38 871 from 43 307. Stuff has held steady at 19 392 (total paid: 12 347).

Health, fitness, sport

Amakhosi has fallen to 25 954 from 36 346 and Sowetan Magazine to 16 689 from 20 373. Kick Off has declined to 36 087 from 53 568 and Runners World to 14 803 from 18 311. Neither golfing title now circulates above 10 000 — Golf Digest stands at 8 583, down from 11 547 and Compleat Golfer at 9 424, down from 10 700.

Magnum has declined to 15 721 from 17 006 and Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag to 15 198 from 16 556, but SA Hunter has jumped to 46 513 from 43 014.

Modern Athlete has jumped to 27 713 from 20 093 (mostly Bulk Requested). Wildland Magazine has grown to 8 877 from 4 910.

Hitting the road

CAR has fallen to 66 129 from 79 041 and Leisure Wheels to 17 843 from 20 385. Topcar has declined to 15 854 from 19 255 and TopGear to 20 722 from 26 494. Drive Out/WegRy has grown to 33 055 from 31 743.

Getaway has fallen to 42 358 from 43 335 and Weg/Go to 61 164 from 75 349.

SA Country Life has grown to 39 169 from 38 826. New member Weg/Go Platteland has maintained its Q2 2014 circulation of 35 219.

Woman’s general

Cosmopolitan has declined to 61 886 from 63 386, Destiny Magazine to 29 221 from 31 427 and Glamour to 58 048 from 68 805. Elle has fallen to 33 051 from 34 089, Fair Lady to 51 064 from 54 509, and Finesse to 58 612 from 67 319.

Good Housekeeping/Goeie Huishouding is down to 54 757 from 63 594 and Ideas/Idees to 69 493 from 77 166. Leef has fallen to 35 323 from 36 182 and Move! to 122 424 from 123 058. True Love is down to 57 631 from 61 292, Vroue Keur to 64 823 from 73 933 and Woman and Home to 105 257 from 106 036.

Essentials has grown to 40 807 from 36 396 and Fitness Magazine to 22 841 from 22 162. Grazia is up to 21 702 from 21 475. Kuier climbs to 109 165 from 102 512 and Marie Claire to 36 217 from 35 330. Rooi Rose has risen to 102 301 from 94 492 but Sarie has fallen to 85 578 from 92 661. Your Family is up to 42 993 from 41 277, Women’s Health to 55 933 from 55 371 and Longevity to 21 080 from 20 443.

The MarkLives’ Big Magazine list*

1. Huisgenoot: 258 803 –
2. YOU: 139 873 –
3. Move!: 122 424 –
4. Kuier: 109 165 –
5. Drum: 107 626 –
6. Woman and Home: 105 257 +3
7. Rooi Rose: 102 301 +1
8. Tuis/Home: 94 207 –1
9. Bona: 87 626 new
10. Sarie: 85 578 –4

• People: 67 378 falls out of Top 10
• Taalgenoot: 67 300
• CAR: 66 129
• SA Garden & Home: 62 811
• Cosmopolitan: 61 886
• Weg/Go: 61 164

*By total circulation. Must have a cover price. Annuals excluded.
Movement on the Big Magazine list compared to 2014 Q2 data.

ABC Q3 2014 stories:

ABC Q2 2014 stories from earlier this year:

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