by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released newspaper circulation statistics for the period October–December 2014 (ABC Q4 2014). (See our magazine ABC analysis here.)
Extracts from the ABC Q4 2014 presentation released today, Thursday, 19 February 2015, cautions publishers and marketers to watch the sharp growth in distribution below 50% of the cover price, particularly in the Daily Newspaper category.
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, and orange equals resigned.
ABC member circulation totals:
- Daily newspapers: down to 1 537 302, compared to 1 600 667 for the previous corresponding period
- Weekly papers: down to 594 431 from 632 934
- Weekend papers: down to 1 877 290 from 2 100 272
- Local papers: down to 401 734 from 421 344
- Free papers: down to 6 223 063 from 6 526 176
Daily newspapers
Daily newspaper circulation fell to 1 537 302 from 1 600 667 from the previous corresponding reporting period (Q4 2013). The ABC reports slight growth on the previous quarter (Q3 2014) but points out that distribution below 50% of cover price has increased by 36% during the same period.
50% of cover price
Most of that 36% growth seems to be driven by two Independent Newspapers titles — The Cape Times and The Cape Argus — following a strategy already employed by its Johannesburg title, The Star. All three titles had shown declines in copy sales when compared to the previous quarter.
The Star fell, in terms of single copy sales (excluding pdf replicas), to 38 383 from 38 231, while The Cape Argus fell to 15 254 from 16 761 and the Cape Times, which has been wracked by firings and resignations, fell to 14 168 from 16 212.
According to the ABC statistics, 12 889 copies of The Star’s total circulation of 93 014 was for sales at under 50% of the cover price (up from 9 702 in the previous quarter); 3 056 for The Cape Argus out of a circulation of 30 129; and 2 537 for The Cape Times out of a total circulation of 31 930 (both up from 0 in the previous quarter). It allowed all three titles to ‘maintain’ circulation figures from the previous quarter.
Another Indy title, Pretoria News, saw a decline in the number of copies selling at under 50% of its price — dropping to 2 870 from 3 140. Caxton-owned The Citizen disposed of 5 110 copies at less than 50% of its cover price, out of a circulation of 55 548.
Total circulation
In Gauteng, Beeld has fallen to 52 276 from 64 874 in the previous corresponding reporting period, and Pretoria News to 14 002 from 17 243. The Star has suffered a significant decline to 93 014 from 100 898. Sowetan is up to slightly to 99 723 from 99 236.
In the Cape, Die Burger (Eastern and Western Cape editions) has declined to 56 474 from 60 512. The Cape Argus has fallen to 30 129 from 30 204 and the Cape Times to 31 930 from 32 611 (the real decline is more dramatic — see above). Son has fallen to 81 458 from 86 837.
In the Eastern Cape, Daily Dispatch has grown to 25 894 from 25 521 but The Herald has fallen to 20 635 from 22 621.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the Daily News has fallen to 26 296 from 28 881 and The Mercury to 26 916 from 29 010. The Witness has grown to 17 893 from 17 549.
Business Day has declined to 30 883 from 33 667, The Citizen to 55 548 from 58 735, and Daily Sun to 273 746 from 297 614. Isolezwe is holding steady at 107 139 from 107 119 and The Times is up to 143 955 from 142 523.
Volksblad has declined to 18 410 from 20 456.
The MarkLives Big Daily Newspaper List*
1. Daily Sun: 273 746
2. The Times: 143 955
3. Isolezwe: 107 139
4. Sowetan: 99 723
5. The Star: 93 014
6. Son: 81 458
7. Die Burger: 56 474 +1
8. The Citizen: 55 548 +1
9. Beeld: 52 276 –2
10. The Cape Times: 31 930
Weekly & weekend papers
Saturday Beeld has fallen to 46 043 from 58 411, and Pretoria News Saturday to 7 839 from 10 126. The Saturday Star is down to 58 926 from 73 487. Saturday Burger has fallen to 70 666 from 75 853. The Weekend Argus Saturday edition has grown to 38 728 from 37 780 but the Weekend Argus Sunday edition has fallen to 16 627 from 17 341. Saturday Dispatch has climbed to 20 925 from 20 679.
City Press has declined to 108 927 from 124 418 and Rapport to 156 383 from 187 288. The Sunday Times falls to 385 080 from 411 186. Sunday Tribune is down to 63 622 from 68 277. Sunday Sun is down to 163 016 from 177 257 and Sunday World to 102 401 from 116 659. The Sunday Independent recently resigned.
Ilanga Langesonto has declined to 49 738 from 56 074, Isolezwe ngeSonto to 85 301 from 88 026 and Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo to 76 837 from 82 339.
In terms of the weeklies: Ilanga has fallen to 90 008 from 95 994, but The Post grew to 46 960 from 43 975. The Mail & Guardian fell to 33 060 from 51 551. Soccer Laduma has grown to 309 721 from 307 275.
The MarkLives’ Biggest Circulation Per Issue Newspaper List*
1. Sunday Times: 385 080
2. Soccer Laduma: 309 721
3. Daily Sun: 273 746
4. Sunday Sun: 163 016
5. Rapport: 156 383
6. The Times: 143 955
7. City Press: 108 927
8. Isolezwe: 107 139 +1
9. Sunday World: 102 401 –!
10. Sowetan: 99 723
• Ilanga: 90 008
*South African titles only. Must have a cover price. Excludes free papers.
ABC Q4 2014 stories:
- ABC Analysis Q4 2014: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
- ABC Analysis Q4 2104: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa
ABC Q3 2014 stories:
- ABC Analysis Q3 2104: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa
- ABC Analysis Q3 2104: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
- ABC Magazine Round-up Q3 2014: Consumer mags revisit flawed circ counting
- ABC Newspaper Round-up Q3 2014: The Star is down 15.89%
ABC Q2 2014 stories:
- ABC Analysis Q2 2014: The biggest circulating consumer magazines in South Africa
- ABC Analysis Q2 2014: The biggest circulating newspapers in South Africa
- ABC Magazine Round-up Q2 2014: Even the good news is bad news
- ABC Newspaper Round-up Q2014: Depressing doesn’t even describe it
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