by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released newspaper circulation statistics for the period October-December 2015 (ABC Q4 2015); see our magazine ABC analysis here.
Daily newspaper circulation has fallen to 1 360 228 from 1 537 300 during the previous corresponding reporting period (Q4 2014); PDF replica editions totalled 4 932 copies (down from 5 467 in Q3 2015), and sales below 50% of the cover price 23 969 copies.
Circulation at the weeklies have fallen, too — total circulation has declined to 528 674 from 594 431; weekend newspapers have gone from 1 673 090 to 1 864 018; and local papers have also seen a decline, falling to 374 692 from 401 878. Free sheets have grown to 6 271 663 from 6 222 107 (but down from 8 065 595 in Q3 2015, thanks to the resignation after only one term of Vuk’uzenzele Government Newspaper — once-off circulation figure: 1 696 450).
ABC member circulation totals:
- Daily newspapers: down to 1 360 228, compared to 1 537 300 for the previous corresponding period
- Weekly papers: down to 528 674 from 594 431
- Weekend papers: down to 1 673 090 from 1 864 018
- Local papers: down to 374 692 from 401 878
- Free papers: up to 6 271 663 from 6 222 107
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 and pink no submission or suspended.
Daily papers
In Gauteng, Beeld has fallen to 46 627 from 52 276 in the previous corresponding reporting period, and Pretoria News to 14 201 from 14 002. The Star has declined to 84 772 from 893 014 (sales below 50% = 12 889 — up from 11 821 in Q3 2015). Sowetan is down to 90 296 from 99 723.
In the Cape, Die Burger (Eastern and Western Cape editions) has declined to 53 483 from 56 474. The Cape Argus has grown to 30 484 from 30 129 (2 884 copies go to Print Media in Education), while the Cape Times has grown to 32 029 — up slightly from 31 930 (1 923 copies go to Print Media in Education). Son has fallen to 79 776 from 81 458.
In the Eastern Cape, Daily Dispatch has fallen to 23 611 from 25 894 and The Herald to 19 882 from 20 635.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the Daily News has fallen to 24 556 from 26 296 and The Mercury to 25 602 from 26 916. The Witness has declined to 14 549 from 17 893.
Business Day has declined to 25 350 from 30 883, The Citizen to 53 343 from 55 548 (with sales below 50% at 4 739 and third party bulk at 2 396), and Daily Sun to 217 078 from 273 744. Isolezwe has fallen to 99 499 from 107 139. The Times is down to 100 363 from 143 955 (Times Media had announced it would be cutting The Times’ circulation to around 100 000).
Volksblad has declined to 16 919 from 18 410. Diamond Fields Advertiser is down to 8 615 from 8 831.
The MarkLives Big Daily Newspaper List*
- Daily Sun: 217 078
- The Times: 100 363
- Isolezwe: 99 499
- Sowetan: 90 296
- The Star: 84 772
- Son: 79 776
- Die Burger: 53 483 +1
- The Citizen: 53 343 -1
- Beeld: 46 627
- The Cape Times: 32 029
Weekly & weekend papers
Saturday Beeld has fallen to 42 629 from 46 043, and Pretoria News Saturday to 7 414 from 7 839 (sales below 50% of cover price: 1 636). The Saturday Star is down to 50 781 from 58 926 (sales below 50% of cover price: 4 585). Saturday Burger has fallen to 66 624 from 70 666. The Weekend Argus Saturday edition is down to 36 954 from 38 728, but the Weekend Argus Sunday edition has grown to 17 060 from 16 627. Saturday Dispatch has fallen to 19 598 from 20 925. Independent on Saturday is down to 36 729 from 38 810.
City Press has declined to 88 945 from 109 010 and Rapport to 138 034 from 156 211. The Sunday Times falls to 332 272 from 371 897. Sunday Tribune is down to 61 765 from 63 622. Sunday Sun is down to 129 151 from 163 016 and Sunday World to 84 974 from 102 401.
Ilanga Langesonto has declined to 43 347 from 49 738 and Isolezwe ngeSonto has fallen to 80 538 from 85 301. Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo increased to 77 271 from 76 837.
In terms of the weeklies: Ilanga has fallen to 72 453 from 90 008, and The Post falls to 43 439 from 46 960. The Mail & Guardian has grown slightly to 33 213 from 33 060. Soccer Laduma is down to 289 739 from 309 721.
The MarkLives’ Biggest Circulation Per Issue Newspaper List*
- Sunday Times: 332 272
- Soccer Laduma: 289 739
- Daily Sun: 217 078
- Rapport: 138 034
- Sunday Sun: 129 151
- The Times: 100 363
- Isolezwe: 99 499
- Sowetan: 90 296 +2
- City Press: 88 945 -1
- Sunday World: 84 974 –1
The Star: 84 772
Isolezwe ngeSonto: 80 538
Son: 79 776
Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo 77 271
Ilanga: 72 453
*South African titles only. Must have a cover price. Excludes free papers.
ABC Q4 2015 stories:
- ABC Analysis Q4 2015: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
- ABC Analysis Q4 2015: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa
- ABC print round-up Q4 2015: Decline, inflation and innovation
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
Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com. He was the inaugural Vodacom Social Media Journalist of the Year in 2011 and has, over his 20-year-plus career, contributed to numerous journals and websites in South Africa and abroad, including AdVantage magazine, Men’s Health, Computer World and African Communications.
— MarkLives’ round-up of top ad and media industry news and opinion in your mailbox every Monday and Thursday days. Sign up here!
Thank you for information. However, I need a full year ABC for 2015 if available
Your figures ae ass about face, numbers DOWN TO followed by a larger number. Where are the subs when you need them?
Hi Les – how we receive information (format, styles etc.) affects how we present it to our readers. Given the thousands of lines of excel spreadsheet data and the order that data gets presented to us by the ABC influences how we pass it on to readers. There is a practical reason, from a production point of view, for the format in which we present the ABC data.