ABC Analysis Q3 2015: The biggest-circulating consumer mags in SA

by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released consumer-magazine circulation statistics for the period July-September 2015 (ABC Q3 2015); 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, red decline, purple maintained, new entrant or renamed, orange discontinued or resigned and pink no submission or suspended.

Key insights

Overall, circulation has fallen to 5 331 523 from 5 764 134 in the previous corresponding reporting period (and from 5 432 472 in the previous quarter). Single-copy sales stand at 3 401 242 (down from 3 711 874 in Q3 2014) and total paid (which includes subscription figures) stand at 4 058 014 (down from 4 454 692 in Q3 2014). Paid-for digital copy sales stand at 72 078 (down from 79 910 in Q3 2014).

Custom magazines have seen an overall circulation decline to 8 126 846 from 11 393 966 in the corresponding previous reporting period. Single copy sales in this category stand at 78 900, and total paid for circulation at 1 924 078.

The business press

Financial Mail has declined to 15 346 from 20 343 in the corresponding previous reporting period (and 18 376 in Q1 2015). Finweek is down to 11 170 from 12 075.

Entrepreneur has grown to 18 710 from 18 274. Forbes Africa has grown to 17 802 from 14 512 (total paid = 7 293). Noseweek has declined to 16 172 from 17 312. Your Business Magazine has declined to 10 318 from 11 088.

Farmer’s Weekly is down slightly to 14 447 from 14 632 and Landbouweekblad has fallen to 32 080 from 34 103. Marktoe Magazine comes in at 19 662 (all free circulation). Veeplaas has fallen to 10 491 from 10 940.

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

1. Entrepreneur: 18 361
2. Noseweek: 16 172
3. Financial Mail: 14 261
4. Personal Finance: 11 202
5. Finweek: 8 667
6. Your Business: 7 725
7. Forbes Africa: 7 293

Biggest-circulating business magazines in terms of total circulation:

1. Entrepreneur: 18 710
2. Forbes Africa: 17 802
3. Noseweek: 16 172
4. Financial Mail: 15 346
5. Personal Finance: 11 702
6. Finweek: 11 170
7. Your Business: 10 318
   

Entertainment & celeb news

People has continued its circulation decline by falling to 54 085 from 67 378. TV Plus (Afrikaans) is down to 35 054 from 36 243, while the English edition falls to 32 547 from 38 523.

Bona has fallen to 76 153 from 87 626 in the previous corresponding reporting period (and from 91 555 in Q1 2015 and 81 961 in Q2 2015). Drum has fallen to 82 137 from 107 626, Huisgenoot to 243 738 from 258 803 and YOU to 132 818 from 139 873.

The Big Issue is up slightly to 12 320 from 12 214.

Home & gardening, leisure

Conde Nast House & Garden has declined to 36 462 from 40 052 (total free = 5 834). Easy DYI is up to 14 091 from 13 333 (total free = 4 411). Food & Home Entertaining has fallen to 28 016 from 31 139 (total free = 5 224). House & Leisure has declined to 36 970 from 43 295 (total free = 7 653). Sarie Kos has fallen to 39 786 from 50 720.

Elle Decoration has fallen to 24 037 from 25 025 (total free = 3 286) and SA Home Owner is down slightly to 42 452 from 42 500 (total free = 8 282) while SA Garden and Home is down to 59 021 from 62 811 (total free = 4 199). The Gardener has been rebranded as The Gardener/Die Tuinier — circulation comes in at 48 673. Tuis Home has fallen to 85 650 from 94 207 (total free = 0) and VISI to 14 838 from 15 778 (total free = 1 253). Woolworths TASTE is listed as a custom magazine — circulation has fallen to 24 156 from 30 115 (single copy sales: 19 298). Fresh Living/Kook en Kuier has declined to 59 685 from 67 031 (single copy sales: 44 278).

Men’s market

Braintainment has grown to 16 820, compared to 15 443 (total free = 2 069) in the previous corresponding reporting period. Destiny Man is down to 15 060 from 22 517 (total free = 5 354) — but it has increased frequency in the interim from alternate monthly to monthly.

GQ is down to 22 789 from 25 167 (total free = 5 149). Hype has grown to 14 180 from 13 992.

Men’s Health has fallen to 42 087 from 48 733 and Popular Mechanics to 33 820 from 38 871. Stuff has fallen to 16 309 from 19 392.

Health, fitness, sport

Amakhosi is up to 27 492 from 25 954. Kick Off has grown to 36 249 from 36 087. Golf Digest has grown to 9 992, up from 8 583, but Compleat Golfer has fallen to 8 760, down from 9 424.

Magnum has fallen to 14 577 from 15 721 and Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag to 13 370 from 15 198. SA Hunter has fallen to 46 359 from 46 513. Wildland Magazine has fallen to 7 827 from 8 877.

Zigzag has grown to 9 492 from 9 193.

Hitting the road

CAR has fallen to 60 286 from 66 129 and Leisure Wheels to 15 287 from 17 843. TopGear has fallen to 17 919 from 20 722. Drive Out/WegRy has declined to 29 114 from 33 055 and Topcar to 15 460 from 15 854.

Auto Trader is down to 6 556 from 7 892 and Bike SA to 17 377 from 20 277. SA 4×4 has fallen to 18 300 from 18 990. Speed and Sound is down to 35 060 from 36 284.

Getaway has fallen to 39 259 from 42 358 but Weg/Go is up to 62 091 from 61 164.

SA Country Life is up to 40 155 from 39 169 (total free = 4 131).

Woman’s general

Cosmopolitan has declined to 55 647 from 62 074 (total free = 12 183), Glamour to 49 035 from 58 048 (total free = 12 785) and Elle to 26 119 from 33 051 (total free = 10 723). Fair Lady has fallen to 42 549 from 51 064. Finesse is down to 50 045 from 58 612. Destiny Magazine is down to 27 194 from 29 221 (total free = 6 866).

Good Housekeeping/Goeie Huishouding has grown to 59 198 from 55 084 (total free = 11 429) but Ideas/Idees has declined to 52 356 from 69 493 and Leef to 31 540 from 35 323. Move! has fallen to 97 866 from 122 424. True Love is down — to 48 209 from 57 631. Vroue Keur has dropped to 60 717 from 64 823 and Woman and Home to 89 639 from 105 165 (total free = 6 808).

Essentials is down to 32 952 from 40 807 and Fitness Magazine to 21 366 from 22 841. Grazia is down to 19 416 from 21 702 (total free = 3 156). Kuier has fallen to 104 101 from 109 165. Marie Claire has dropped to 30 666 from 36 420 (total free = 10 755). Rooi Rose has fallen to 70 703 from 102 301 but Sarie has grown to 90 935 from 85 578. Your Family is down to 40 653 from 42 993 (total free = 4 090). Women’s Health has declined to 45 410 from 55 933, and Longevity to 20 103 from 21 080 (total free = 7 222).

The MarkLives’ Big Magazine list*

1. Huisgenoot: 243 738
2. YOU: 132 818
3. Kuier: 104 101
4. Move!: 97 866
5. Sarie: 90 935
6. Woman and Home: 89 639  +1
7. Tuis/Home: 85 650  +1
8. Drum: 82 137  -2
9. Bona: 76 153
10. Rooi Rose: 70 703

*By total circulation. Must have a cover price. Annuals excluded. Movement on the Big Magazine list compared to 2015 Q2 data.

ABC Q3 2015 stories:

• ABC Analysis Q3 2015: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q3 2015: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa

ABC Q2 2015 stories:

• ABC Analysis Q2 2015: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q2 2015: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa
• ABC Print Round-up Q2 2015 in one word: Decline

ABC Q1 2015 stories:

• ABC Analysis Q1 2015: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q1 2015: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa

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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