ABC Analysis Q1 2017: The biggest-circulating newspapers in SA

by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released newspaper-circulation statistics for the period January–March 2017 (ABC Q1 2017); see our magazine ABC analysis here.

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 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

Daily newspaper circulation fell to 1 211 887 from 1 332 320 during the previous corresponding reporting period (Q1 2016); pdf replica editions totalled 5 365, down from 6 184 copies in Q4 2016, while single-copy sales came in at 898 611. Circulation at the weeklies fell, too — total circulation declined to 506 730 from 526 673; weekend newspapers went to 1 436 844 from 1 626 226; and local papers also saw a decline, falling to 355 048 from 376 682. Free sheets fell to 6 224 346, from 6 325 829.

ABC member circulation totals:

Daily newspapers: down to 1 211 887, compared to 1 332 320 for the previous corresponding period
Weekly papers: down to 506 730 from 526 673
Weekend papers: down to 1 436 844 from 1 626 226
Local papers: down to 355 048 from 376 682
Free papers: down to 6 224 346 from 6 325 829

Daily papers

In Gauteng, Pretoria News has climbed to 15 038 from 14 381 (sales below 50% of retail cost = up to 3 059). Beeld has fallen to 41 286 from 46 721 in the previous corresponding reporting period. The Star is down to 84 857 from 86 833 (sales below 50% = 12 193). Sowetan is down to 80 010 from 90 165.

In the Cape, Die Burger (Eastern and Western Cape editions) has declined to 49 483 from 52 810. The Cape Argus has decreased to 29 707 from 30 524 [3 272 to Print Media in Education (PMIE)], while the Cape Times has also declined to 31 212 — down from 31 767 (2 618 copies go to PMIE). Son has fallen to 73 757 from 79 193.

In the Eastern Cape, Daily Dispatch has fallen to 20 509 from 23 150, and The Herald to 17 721 from 19 673.

In KwaZulu-Natal, The Mercury has climbed to 26 185 from 25 725, but the Daily News is down slightly 24 278 from 24 494 (1 085 = sales below 50%). The Witness has declined to 13 651 from 14 348.

Business Day has declined to 21 555 from 24 672, The Citizen to 43 480 from 51 700 (single copy sales: 28 676), and Daily Sun to 174 483 from 206 793. Isolezwe has fallen to 95 430 from 103 899. The Times is down to 51 308 from 80 666.

Volksblad has declined to 15 527 from 17 014. Diamond Fields Advertiser is down to 8 362 from 8 541.

The MarkLives Big Daily Newspaper List*

Daily Sun: 174 483
Isolezwe: 95 430
The Star: 84 857
Sowetan: 80 010
Son: 73 757
The Times: 51 308
Die Burger: 49 483
The Citizen: 43 480
Beeld: 41 286
The Cape Times: 31 212

Weekly & weekend papers

Pretoria News Saturday is up to 8 946 from 7 521 (sales below 50% of cover price: 1 818); the Weekend Argus Sunday edition has grown to 17 828 from 17 448; and Independent on Saturday has risen slightly to 37 489 from 37 151. The Saturday Star is down to 51 202 from 52 174 (sales below 50% of cover price: 5 095); Saturday Beeld has fallen to 38 918 from 41 851; Saturday Burger has declined to 62 452 from 66 417; the Weekend Argus Saturday edition to 35 043 from 37 050; and Saturday Dispatch to 16 573 from 17 908.

City Press has declined to 71 710 from 91 339 and Rapport to 124 854 from 130 985 (single copy sales: 99 209). The Sunday Times has declined strongly to 262 569 from 322 111 (single copy sales: 145 358). Sunday Tribune has declined to 55 389 from 60 347 (sales below 50% = 5 427). Sunday Sun is down to 86 081 from 115 706, and Sunday World has also dropped to 60 527 from 80 431.

Ilanga Langesonto is up slightly to 41 111 from 40 805 but Isolezwe ngeSonto has fallen to 72 282 from 78 773. Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo has fallen to 74 365 from 74 849.

In terms of the weeklies, The Post is down to 40 154 from 42 024 (sales below 50%: 2 676) and Ilanga has fallen to 72 635 from 73 567. The Mail & Guardian has fallen to 30 148 from 34 442. Soccer Laduma is down to 284 276 from 287 873.