by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released consumer-magazine circulation statistics for the period January–March 2019 (ABC Q1 2019); see our newspaper analysis here.
Magazine overview
- Total magazine circulation declined by 3.0% on the previous quarter, and by 13.1% year-on-year
- Consumer magazines declined by 0.1% on the previous quarter, and by 11.0% on the previous year
- B2B magazines declined by 0.3% on the previous quarter, and increased by 5.5% on the previous year
- Custom magazines declined by 5.9% on the prior quarter, and by 18.6% on the previous year
- Free magazines declined by 3.1% on the prior quarter, and by 7.9% year-on-year.
The business press
Finweek has fallen from 18 203 to 15 976 (total free copies: 1 200) in the corresponding previous reporting period (Q1 2018). Financial Mail, however, increased from 13 454 to 13 798.
Forbes Africa has climbed from 14 762 to 18 211 (total free has also jumped to 3 993), while Noseweek is down 23% from 12 223 to 9 284.
Landbouweekblad has fallen 18% from 27 307 to 22 353 and Farmer’s Weekly has declined from 11 549 to 10 499.
Leading declines (YOY)*
Noseweek –24%
Landbouweekblad -18%
Entertainment & celeb news
People has seen its circulation decrease from 31 295 to 29 052. TV Plus (Afrikaans) is down 26% from 28 428 to 21 078 and the English edition has slid 31% from 15 323 to 10 500.
Bona has grown by 10% from 68 665 to 75 219 (total free = 1 709) in the previous corresponding reporting period. Drum has fallen 29% from 37 305 to 26 358; Huisgenoot by 9% from 190 613 to 174 384; and YOU by 10% from 95 421 to 85 402.
The Big Issue failed to make a submission.
Leading declines (YOY)*
TV Plus (English) -31%
Drum -29%
TV Plus (Afrikaans) -26%
Home & gardening, leisure
Condé Nast House & Garden has fallen 17% from 33 544 to 27 867 (total free: 6 310). Food & Home Entertaining has declined by 24% from 22 651 to 17 241 (total free: 2 203). Tuis Home has declined from 85 296 to 80 238 (total free has jumped to 7 590) but VISI has gone up by 1% from 15 082 to 15 257.
House & Leisure has jumped 24% from 20 653 to 25 691 (total free: 2 569). SA Home Owner is down from 36 736 to 32 366 (total free: 5 261), and SA Garden and Home has fallen from 42 842 to 39 438 (total free: 2 984).
Leading declines (YOY)*
Food and Home Entertaining -24%
Conde Nast House & Garden -17%
SA Home Owner -12%
Leading gains (YOY)
House & Leisure +24%
Men’s market
Very Interesting has declined from 18 140 to 17 561 (total free: 4 854) in the previous corresponding reporting period, while Men’s Health has fallen 26% from 29 002 to 21 336 (total free: 1 262).
Popular Mechanics has grown by 2% from 30 540 to 31 294 (total free increases massively to 7 605); while Stuff has jumped by 110% from 11 006 to 22 546 (total free: 2 702) on the back of a claimed 12 576
e-copies.
Hitting the road
Leisure Wheels has jumped 22% from 14 977 to 18 268 (total free = 6 956), while CAR has fallen by 2% from 68 032 to 66 706 (total free = 5 569). SA4x4 has grown by 12% from 14 733 to 16 515. Caravan & Outdoor Life/Kamp & Karavaan has grown by 10% from 16 266 to 17 906.
Speed and Sound made no submission.
Weg!/Go! is down from 60 944 to 57 871 (total free = 5 841) and Getaway has declined from 44 474 to 40 931 (total free = 7 103). SA Country Life has decreased from 31 522 to 27 938 (total free = 2 357). Weg!/Go! Platteland has fallen from 32 729 to 29 176.
Leading declines (YOY)*
SA Country Life -11%
Weg!/Go! Platteland -11%
Leading gains (YOY)
Leisure Wheels +22%
SA4x4 +12%
Caravan & Outdoor Life / Kamp & Karavaan +10%
Woman’s general
Fair Lady is down 11% from 26 798 to 23 904. Cosmopolitan has climbed by 32% from 32 490 to 42 853 (total free: 4 285; back issues: 4 085; below 50%: 3 532). True Love is down 6% from 33 896 to 31 693.
Good Housekeeping/Goeie Huishouding has grown 22% from 42 500 to 51 862 (total free: 3 986; back issues). Move! has fallen 22% from 69 943 to 51 026. Vroue Keur has dropped 9% from 48 340 to 44 104. Woman and Home is down 19% from 69 148 to 56 201 (total free has jumped to 4 384).
Kuier has declined from 90 769 to 87 891; Rooi Rose has decreased from 67 138 to 61 685. Sarie has fallen from 71 509 to 65 849 (total free = 6 422). Essentials has declined from 20 920 to 19 318.
Your Family is down from 26 798 to 23 904, and Women’s Health has decreased by a staggering 42% from 39 864 to 23 290.
Leading declines (YOY)*
Women’s Health -42%
Move! -27%
Woman and Home -19%
Leading gains (YOY)
Cosmopolitan +32%
Good Housekeeping/Goeie Huishouding +22%
The MarkLives’ Big Magazine list**
Q1 2019
- Huisgenoot: 174 384
- Kuier: 87 891
- YOU: 85 402
- Tuis/Home: 80 238
- Bona: 75 219 +1
- CAR: 66 706 +2
- Sarie: 65 849
- Rooi Rose: 61 685 +1
- Weg/Go!: 57 871 +1
- Woman and Home: 56 201 -5
Good Housekeeping/Goeie Huishouding: 51 862
Move!: 51 026
*Year on year. Only titles covered in this feature; not all titles in ABC category; excludes titles with recent frequency changes.
**By total circulation. Must have a cover price. Annuals excluded. Movement on the Big Magazine list compared to Q4 2018 data.
See also
Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com.
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