ABC Analysis Q4 2012: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in SA

The ABC has released circulation statistics for the period October 2012 to December 2012 (ABC Q4 2012). Here are a couple of consumer magazine ABC numbers that popped out for us. We 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!

Not a good quarter for Entertainment & Culture

Music title Huisgenoot Tempo (Quarterly) lost its happy tune by falling from 62,928 total circulation in the previous corresponding reporting to 39,991 in the latest reporting period. heat kept up its decline – will it ever hit bottom? – to 27,945 from 31,753 (and down from 28,316 in Q3 2012). TV Plus (Afrikaans) fell to 37,667 from 41,551 and its English language edition tanked to 41,889 from 48,211. Drum declined to 118,793 from 138,479 and Huisgenoot fell to 270,310 from 283,355. YOU saw a significant decline to 155,125 from 172,403 (and from 162,689 in Q3 2012).

People kept steady at around 85,978.

Bona is up slightly to 97,190 from 95,261. Readers’ Digest climbed to 40,269 from 35,833 (but gave away 7,562 copies for free).

Oh and missing in action: Rolling Stone magazine. Last seen Q2 2012 with a paid for circulation of 3,782.

Business and Financial holds steady

FM dipped slightly from to 23,595 from 24,515. It will be interesting to see how the magazine weathers the recent resignation of its respected editor, Barney Mthombothi, when the next set of circulation figures is released. Finweek fell significantly to 23,456 from 26,241. In terms of paid for circulation (i.e. excluding freebies and bulk) FM is narrowly ahead at 21,510 to the 20,740 of Finweek. By comparison newspaper Business Day stands at 35,149 (down from 35,558). Forbes Africa climbed to 17,538 from 14,462 (total paid 7,586).

Circulation heads back to Home

In the home section the trend seems to have been towards a slight increase in circulation compared to the same period last year. Conde Nast House & Garden climbed slightly to 45,144 from 44,660. Elle Decoration climbed to 23,630 from 22,130. House & Leisure rose to 44,630 from 38,338 (with 9,634 freebies). SA Home Owner is up to 37,824 from 34,935. Die Tuinier jumped to 22,184 from 19,678. Tuis/Home grew its circulation to 82,430 from 76,909.

Food and Home Entertaining fell to 32,672 from 34,432 and Sarie Kos declined to 50,496 from 52,009.

The guys aren’t reading (magazines) no more

Playboy is up to 13,309 from 12,428. In the previous quarter (Q3 2012) it had collapsed to 3,839 from 10,818 for the same corresponding period a year earlier (and 16,299 in the 2012 Q2 reporting period). The figures don’t make sense. A request for comment to Playboy last time round did not solicit a response.

FHM must be on the Media24 emergency watch list – it fell to 29,382 from 38,873 (and 37,444 in the Q3 2012 reporting period). Media24 have pulled the plug on better faring titles frankly. In 2005 it was selling 117,365 copies per issue. Anybody care to call it?

GQ – down to 28,084 from 30,036. Men’s Health – down to 61,663 from 66,828. Popular Mechanics wasn’t spared either – it fell to 43,863 from 50,585. Stuff – down to 25,317 from 26,018.

Only upside in this category came from Destiny Man (up to 19,251 from 18,869) and Braintainment (up to 12,525 from 11,666).

And not car magazines either

CAR magazine saw a significant decline to 81,114 from 91,505. TopGear declined to 29,187 from 35,122. Topcar fell to 17,548 from 19,709. Bike SA fell to 23,425 from 28,955. Speed and Sound fell to 40,932 from 42,318. Leisure Wheels – down to 18,035 from 24,498.

Other circulation jumps and declines

SA Hunter/Jagter climbed to 38,616 from 35,155 and African Pilot climbed to 36,756 from 33,039. Compleat Golfer fell to 14,380 from 20,376. Getaway fell to 45,347 from 54,519 and Weg/Go declined slightly to 73,949 from 75,781.

Fair Lady … actually up (yeah we checked twice)! Kuier through the roof.

Cosmo is up to 86,885 from 81,406 while Elle is up to 43,820 from 38,891. Fair Lady, after what felt like a never ending descent – is up to 57,522 from 48,789. Good Housekeeping / Goeie Huishouding is up to 70,932 from 59,814. New weekly Grazia came in at 23,182 (up from 20,745 in Q3 2012). Ideas/Idees up to 91,905 from 88,452. Kuier up to 94,926 from 58,672 (and 78,896 in Q3 2012). Marie Claire up to 41,137 from 37,439 (with over 11 000 freebies). Real magazine is up to 54,055 from 50,890.

Rooi Rose kept stead at 112,381 (112,905 previous corresponding period) while Sarie fell quite dramatically to under 100 000 (to 93,473 from 114,452)

Destiny declined to 27,822 from 30,082 and spare a thought for Essentials down to 33,681 from 41,406. Finesse down to 72,661 from 77,175. Glamour down to 71,096 from 79,601. Move fell to 113,500 from 136,766. Soul is down to 38,508 from 46,959. True Love –  68,146 from 81,963. Your Family fell to 53,363 from 67,480. Finesse fell to 72,661 from 77,175.

The MarkLives Big Magazine list*

1. Huisgenoot 270,310 –
2. YOU 155,125 –
3. Drum 118,793 +1
4. Move 113,500 -1
5. Rooi Rose 112,381 –
6. Woman and Home 100,310 +2
7. Bona 97,190 new in top10
8. Kuier 94,926 new in top10
9. Sarie 93,473 – 3
10. Ideas/Idees 91,905 -3

Cosmopolitan 86,885 out of Top 10 (prev no 9)
People 85,978 out of Top 10 (prev no 10)
Tuis/Home 82,430
CAR 81,114

* By total circulation. Must have a cover price. Annuals Excluded.
Movement on the Big Magazine list compared to 2012 Q3 data.

For the latest ABC figures for newspapers see ABC figures for Q4 2012 show the massive challenges facing Survé at the Indie by Gill Moodie

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