by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released consumer-magazine circulation statistics for the period January–March 2015 (ABC Q1 2015). (See our newspaper ABC analysis here.)
Here are several consumer magazine ABC figures that stand out for us. We’ve 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. Green equals growth, dark red decline, purple maintained or new entrant, orange discontinued and pink no submission or suspended.
Key insights
Overall, circulation has fallen to 5 719 866 from 5 897 765 in the previous corresponding reporting period (but grown from 5 663 657 in the previous quarter). Single-copy sales stand at 3 721 014 (down from 3 964 472 in Q1 2014) and total paid (which includes subscription figures) stand at 4 417 427 (down from 4 718 243 in Q1 2014). Paid-for digital copy sales stand at 73 237 (down from 89 144 in Q1 2014).
Custom magazines have seen an overall circulation decline to 9 799 972 from 11 816 959 in the corresponding previous reporting period (and 9 911 945 in Q4 2014). Single copy sales in this category stand at 79 750 and total paid for circulation at 1 972 873.
The business press
Financial Mail has declined to 18 376 from 23 400 in the corresponding previous reporting period (and 19 901 in Q4 2014). Finweek is up to 12 139 from 11 955.
Entrepreneur has fallen to 18 663 from 23 913. Forbes Africa has declined to 17 511 from 21 897 (total paid = 7 901). Green Economy Journal (formerly Green Business Journal) has come in at 5 801 (total free = 5 341) — it had been suspended in the corresponding previous reporting period. Noseweek has declined to 17 847 from 18 537.
Personal Finance has fallen to 11 702 from 13 334 (it’s one of those odd magazines that files the exact same circulation figures two quarters in a row). Your Business Magazine has grown to 11 358 from 10 478.
Farmer’s Weekly has declined slightly to 14 529 from 14 650 but Landbouweekblad has fallen to 33 440 from 35 535. New entrant Marktoe Magazine came in at 18 024 (all free circulation). Veeplaas has fallen slightly to 10 715 from 10 869.
Biggest-circulating business magazines in terms of paid-for (sales, bulk and subscriptions) circulation:
- Entrepreneur: 18 542
- Financial Mail: 16 291
- Noseweek: 16 129
- Personal Finance: 11 202
- Your Business: 9 981
- Finweek: 9 636
- Forbes Africa: 7 901
Biggest-circulating business magazines in terms of total circulation:
- Real Estate Investor: 19 284
- Entrepreneur: 18 663 +
- Financial Mail: 18 376 –
- Noseweek: 17 847 +
- Forbes Africa: 17 511 –
- Finweek: 12 139 +
- Personal Finance: 11 702
- Your Business: 11 358
Entertainment & celeb news
heat magazine has been discontinued. People has continued its circulation decline by falling to 68 300 from 83 472. TV Plus (Afrikaans) is up slightly to 36 956 from 36 058 but the English edition falls to 34 380 from 39 973.
Bona has fallen to 91 555 to 96 569 (but up from 73 606 in Q4 2014), Drum to 100 388 from 115 402, Huisgenoot to 252 334 from 275 902 and YOU to 138 693 from 151 584.
The Big Issue made no submission.
Home & gardening, leisure
Conde Nast House & Garden has declined to 41 745 from 42 547 (total free = 8 920) and Easy DYI to 13 333 (same figure as Q3 and Q4 2014 = pretty damn odd) from 23 379. Food & Home Entertaining has fallen slightly to 30 038 from 30 369 (total free = 6 108). House & Leisure has grown to 48 438 from 47 988 (total free = 10 670). Sarie Kos has fallen to 48 505 (same figure as previous quarter) from 52 503.
Elle Decoration has fallen to 24 323 from 25 552 (total free = 5 560). SA Home Owner has grown to 47 159 from 46 288 (total free = 8 358) while SA Garden and Home just nudges down to 59 100 from 59 145 (total free = 5 492). The Gardener has fallen to 23 720 from 24 692. Tuis Home has climbed to 89 499 from 83 226 (total free = 0) and VISI to 15 038 from 13 349 (total free = 1 014). Woolworths TASTE is listed as a custom magazine — circulation has fallen to 26 882 from 30 833 (single copy sales: 21 774). Fresh Living has declined to 60 010 from 72 532 (single copy sales: 41 757).
Men’s market
Blaque Magazine has grown to 15 563 from 14 638 while Braintainment has grown to 14 501, compared to 13 404 in the previous corresponding reporting period. Destiny Man is down to 16 562 from 20 922 (total free = 7 978) — but it has increased frequency in the interim from alternate monthly to monthly.
GQ is down to 26 015 from 27 435 (it now publishes 11 copies a year instead of 10). Hype has grown to 13 616 from 11 578.
Men’s Health has fallen to 47 327 from 52 881 and Popular Mechanics to 39 960 from 48 674. Stuff has fallen to 16 246 from 18 352 (total paid: 12 686 — same number as in Q4 2014). Tech-Smart Magazine has been discontinued. Gaming title NAG has fallen to 15 701 from 18 436.
Health, fitness, sport
Amakhosi has fallen to 28 214 from 31 573 while Sowetan Magazine has grown to 21 433 from 16 689. Kick Off has declined to 34 379 from 40 815. Golf Digest has fallen to 8 547, down from 10 428 and Compleat Golfer is at 9 092, down from 11 076.
Magnum has fallen to 14 674 from 16 385 and Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag to 12 411 from 13 583. SA Hunter has jumped to 44 450 from 41 285. Wildland Magazine has grown to 7 280 from 6 996.
Modern Athlete has jumped to 34 915 from 21 900 (total free = 34 169) while Runners World has declined to 16 999 from 19 397.
The Bank Angler/Die Oewerhengelaar has declined to 16 147 from 17 792.
Hitting the road
CAR has fallen to 70 049 from 77 739 and Leisure Wheels to 17 141 from 20 857. TopGear has fallen to 22 132 from 31 277. Drive Out/WegRy has declined slightly to 36 560 from 36 704 as has Topcar to 18 801 from 19 186.
Auto Trader is down to 8 147 from 10 237 and Bike SA to 18 268 from 22 358. SA 4×4 has fallen to 19 050 from 21 368. Speed and Sound is down to 35 080 from 38 359. Cars in Action has been suspended.
Getaway has fallen to 36 186 from 48 137 and Weg/Go to 66 564 from 72 760.
SA Country Life has grown to 40 404 from 39 777 (total free = 3 837). Weg/Go Platteland continues to offer the exact same circulation number as in Q2 and Q3 2014: 35 219^. Caravan and Outdoor Life has fallen to 18 066 from 21 532.
^ Platteland points out that in terms of ABC rules: ‘Media who publish five or less times a year, will report either for the twelve months ended June, or for the twelve months ended December.’ Therefore, for a title that submits only once in June the ABCs for all the other quarters (Q3, Q4 and Q1) will remain the same and then only change in Q2.’ [Update: 2015/05/25]
Woman’s general
Cosmopolitan has declined to 61 556 from 70 172 (total free = 10 938), Destiny Magazine to 28 570 from 29 870 and Glamour to 58 863 from 67 973 (total free = 18 234). Elle has fallen to 31 867 from 32 185 (total free = 10 313) and Fair Lady to 49 697 from 50 122. Finesse is down to 55 329 from 63 216.
Good Housekeeping/Goeie Huishouding is up (yeah!) to 56 521 from 55 879 (total free = 12 680) but Ideas/Idees has declined to 61 377 from 71 863. Leef has increased to 37 913 from 37 400. Move! has fallen to 121 494 from 135 611. True Love is down — to 60 421 from 61 223. Vroue Keur is down to 65 167 from 68 928 but Woman and Home has grown to 86 129 from 85 206 (total free = 6 284).
Essentials is down to 34 310 from 36 434 and Fitness Magazine to 21 120 (same number as Q4 2014) from 22 972. Grazia is up to 21 672 from 19 013 (total free = 3 332). Kuier has fallen slightly to 105 305 from 106 335. Marie Claire has fallen to 33 885 from 36 222 (total free = 9 470). Rooi Rose has grown to 91 766 from 83 895 but Sarie has fallen to 83 370 from 108 436. Your Family is up to 43 605 from 39 308 (total free = 5 538). Women’s Health has declined to 68 265 from 72 306. Longevity has grown slightly to 19 374 from 19 153 (total free = 6 753).
The MarkLives’ Big Magazine list*
1. Huisgenoot: 252 334
2. YOU: 138 693
3. Move!: 121 494
4. Kuier: 105 305 +1
5. Drum: 100 388 -1
6. Rooi Rose: 91 766 +2
7. Bona: 91 555 +3
8. Tuis/Home: 89 499 -2
9. Woman and Home: 86 129 -2
10. Sarie: 83 370 -1
• CAR: 70 049
• People: 68 300
• Women’s Health 68 265
• Weg/Go 66 564
• Taalgenoot 66 259
*By total circulation. Must have a cover price. Annuals excluded.
Movement on the Big Magazine list compared to 2014 Q4 data.
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
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