ABC Analysis Q1 2017: 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 January–March 2017 (ABC Q1 2017); see our newspaper ABC analysis here. Apart from highlighting several figures that stand out for us, we’ve also updated our list of the biggest-circulating consumer titles in SA.

Note: we compare the current figures with the same figures for this time the year before, and not with the previous quarter. Green equals growth; red declined; purple maintained, new entrant or renamed; orange discontinued or resigned; pink no submission or suspended; brown minimal newsstand sales; and grey moved to a new category.

Key insights

The ABC reports that total magazine circulation declined by 2.3% on the previous quarter, and by 6.5% on the prior year. Consumer Magazines increased by 9.2% on the previous quarter, but declined by 5.7% on the prior year, as the result of several titles changing sector from custom to consumer. On a like-for-like basis, consumer magazines declined by 3.3% on the previous quarter and by 16.3% on the prior year.

Overall, circulation fell to 4 838 894 from 5 132 119 in the previous corresponding reporting period. Single-copy sales stood at 2 750 146 (down from 3 329 935 in Q1 2016) and total paid (which includes subscription figures) stood at 3 892 438 (up from 3 329 935 in Q1 2016). Paid-for digital copy sales stood at 56 200.

Custom magazines saw an overall circulation decline to 6 329 980 from 7 395 036 in the corresponding previous reporting period. Single copy sales in this category stood at 35 776, and total paid for circulation at 1 102 772.

The business press

Finweek is up to 17 342 from 11 345 (total free copies = 3 287 plus sales at below 50% of the cover price = 8 566; single copy sales: 2 812). Financial Mail has declined to 12 673 from 14 018 in the corresponding previous reporting period.

Your Business Magazine has grown slightly to 10 565 from 10 352. Entrepreneur has declined to 16 941 from 18 212; Forbes Africa is down to 22 200 from 25 588 (total free = 11 454); Noseweek has declined to 12 658 from 15 203; and Personal Finance has fallen to 9 532 from 11 459.

Landbouweekblad grows to 31 00 from 30 927 but Farmer’s Weekly is down to 12 380 from 14 398. Marktoe! has grown to 9 862 from 8 700. Veeplaas has fallen to 8 743 from 9 612.

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

Entrepreneur: 16 930
Finweek: 14 622* +4
Financial Mail: 12 673
Noseweek: 12 658 -2
Forbes Africa: 10 746 -1
Personal Finance: 9 447 -1
Your Business: 8 019

Biggest-circulating business magazines in terms of total circulation:

Forbes Africa: 22 200
Finweek: 17 342 +3
Entrepreneur: 16 941 -1
Noseweek: 12 658 -1
Financial Mail: 12 673 -1
Your Business: 10 565
Personal Finance: 9 532

Finweek note: Total free copies = 3 287 plus sales at below 50% of the cover price = 8 566. Single copy sales: 2 812

Position movement relative to Q4 2016.

Entertainment & celeb news

People has fallen to 38 177 from 55 074. TV Plus (Afrikaans) is down to 34 900 from 35 384; the English edition has fallen to 25 247 from 35 060.

Bona is down to 78 237 from 79 391 in the previous corresponding reporting period. Drum has collapsed to 51 227 from 78 521; Huisgenoot has dropped to 208 322 from 230 766; and YOU has fallen to 107 108 from 125 346.

The Big Issue has fallen to 10 146 from 14 725. Taalgenoot is down to 68 427 from 69 023.

Home & gardening, leisure

Condé Nast House & Garden has declined to 32 996 from 36 410 (total free = 5 167). Easy DYI is down to 12 598 from 14 091 (total free = 4 342). Food & Home Entertaining has fallen to 22 339 from 29 146 (total free: 2 754). House & Leisure has declined steeply to 25 902 from 37 449 (total free: 2 804). Sarie Kos has fallen to 26 691 from 36 346.

Woolworths TASTE is listed as a custom magazine — circulation has climbed slightly to 30 150 from 30 180 (single copy sales: 26 781).

Elle Decoration has fallen to 19 906 from 22 793 (total free: 5 061) and SA Home Owner is down to 42 149 from 43 854 (total free: 8 177). SA Garden and Home is down to 53 097 from 58 360 (total free: 6 909). Tuis Home has fallen to 77 966 from 78 931 (total free: 0) and VISI is down to 14 820 from 15 499 (total free: 408).

Men’s market

Destiny Man is down to 14 620 from 14 642 (total free jumps to 5 120). Very Interesting has declined to 15 199, compared to 18 347 (total free down to 2 467) in the previous corresponding reporting period.

GQ is down to 20 656 from 24 197 (total free: 5 979); Men’s Health has fallen to 29 305 from 39 894 and Popular Mechanics to 32 759 from 37 285. Stuff is down to 13 465 from 16 928 (total free: 2 834).

Health, fitness, sport

Compleat Golfer is up to 10 791, from 9 100 (total free = 5 013). Amakhosi has fallen to 17 155 from 21 404, and Kick Off is down to 21 679 from 28 993. Golf Digest has fallen to 8 402, down from 9 414. Zigzag has been suspended.

SA Hunter climbs to 46 965 from 43 330. Magnum has fallen to 11 922 from 12 286 while Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag is down to 9 331 from 13 586.

Hitting the road

Leisure Wheels has inched up to 19 082 from 19 044 and Drive Out/WegRy has grown to 32 300 from 31 912, while CAR has declined to 72 060 from 77 175. TFG Motor has been moved from the custom to consumer category; its circulation has come in at 39 829. Speed and Sound is down to 26 506 from 33 200.

Getaway is up to 44 772 from 42 420 (total free: 8 930) but Weg!/Go! has fallen to 57 710 from 59 205. SA Country Life has declined to 33 262 from 39 030.

Woman’s general

Destiny Magazine is up to 27 544 from 26 560 (total free: 5 663). Cosmopolitan has declined to 37 075 from 51 948, and Glamour to 44 428 from 50 879 (total free: 7 399). Elle has fallen to 22 872 from 26 049 (total free: 6 589). Fair Lady is down to 34 611 from 43 196.

Good Housekeeping/Goeie Huishouding has declined to 41 802 from 52 078 (total free: 5 129). Move! has collapsed to 82 421 from 102 127. True Love is down to 33 216 from 44 702, and Vroue Keur has dropped to 53 251 from 59 874. Woman and Home is down to 81 477 from 92 573 (total free jumps to 9 059).

Essentials is down to 25 708 from 30 366. Kuier is down to 100 214 from 101 994. Marie Claire has dropped to 24 053 from 32 753. Rooi Rose is down to 75 851 from 90 673. Sarie has fallen to 71 463 from 75 844. Your Family is down to 33 091 from 39 259. Women’s Health falls to 40 083 from 56 132, and Longevity to 15 140 from 16 370. Finesse has changed frequency to 9x annually and has fallen to 43 429 from 46 472.

The MarkLives’ Big Magazine list*

Huisgenoot: 208 322
Foschini Sports: 165 008 New +9
YOU: 107 108 -1
Kuier: 100 214 -1
TFG My Kitchen: 90 342 +5 new
Move!: 82 421 -1
Woman and Home: 81 477 -3
Bona: 78 237 Re-entry +3
Tuis/Home: 77 966 -3
Rooi Rose: 75 851 -3

CAR: 72 060 falls out
Sarie: 71 463 falls out
Foschini Living Space: 71 012 new
Taalgenoot: 68 427 falls out

*By total circulation. Must have a cover price. Annuals excluded. Movement on the Big Magazine list compared to 2016 Q4 data.

ABC Analysis Q1 2017: The biggest-circulating consumer mags in SA