by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released newspaper circulation statistics for the period April–June 2016 (ABC Q2 2016); 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 decline, purple maintained, new entrant or renamed, orange discontinued and pink no submission or suspended.
Daily newspaper circulation fell to 1 278 167 from 1 487 782 during the previous corresponding reporting period (Q2 2016); PDF replica editions totaled 6 010 copies, while single copy sales came in at 956 007. Circulation at the weeklies fell, too — total circulation declined to 514 593 from 551 267; weekend newspapers went to 1 580 615 from 1 797 804; and local papers also saw a decline, falling to 367 086 from 392 012. Free sheets grew to 6 293 147, from 6 208 620.
According to statistics provided by the ABC, total newspapers circulation declined by 1.5%, compared to the previous quarter (Q1 2016). Daily newspapers declined by 4.8%, weekly newspapers declined by 2.6%, weekend newspapers declined by 3.1% and local newspapers declined by 2.5%. Free newspapers declined by 0.5%.
ABC member circulation totals:
- Daily newspapers: down to 1 278 167, compared to 1 487 78 for the previous corresponding period
- Weekly papers: down to 514 593 from 551 267
- Weekend papers: down to 1 580 61 from 1 797 804
- Local papers: down to 367 086 from 392 012
- Free papers: up to 6 293 147 from 6 208 620
Daily papers 
In Gauteng, Beeld has fallen to 45 149 from 50 546 in the previous corresponding reporting period [1,706 copies go to Print Media in Education (PMIE)], but Pretoria News has inched up to 14 649 from 14 626 (sales below 50% of retail cost = 3 606). The Star has declined to 86 643 from 88 421 (sales below 50% = 13 429). Sowetan is down to 88 741 from 94 245.
In the Cape, Die Burger (Eastern and Western Cape editions) has declined to 50 276 from 54 477. The Cape Argus has decreased slightly to 30 265 from 30 428 (2 972 to PMIE), while the Cape Times has declined to 31 342 — down from 31 647 (2 419 copies go to PMIE, up from 1 500). Son has fallen to 77 473 from 83 255.
In the Eastern Cape, Daily Dispatch has fallen to 22 451 from 24 497 and The Herald to 20 777 from 21 149.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the Daily News has fallen to 25 373 from 26 368 and The Mercury to 26 746 from 27 591. The Witness has declined to 14 142 from 15,891.
Business Day has declined to 24 508 from 28 196, The Citizen to 47 373 from 56 395 (with sales below 50% at 2 535 and third-party bulk at 1 746), and Daily Sun to 194 512 from 240 488. Isolezwe has fallen to 94 581 from 108 629. The Times is down to 63 954 from 130,607 [Times Media had announced in August 2015 it would be cutting The Times’ circulation to around 100 000 but it continues to fall, including from Q1 2016, when circ stood at 80 666].
Volksblad has declined to 16 230 from 17 929. Diamond Fields Advertiser is down to 8 373 from 8 941.
The MarkLives Big Daily Newspaper List*
- Daily Sun: 194 512
- Isolezwe: 94 581
- Sowetan: 88 741
- The Star: 86 643
- Son: 77 473 +1
- The Times: 63 954 -1
- Die Burger: 50 276
- The Citizen: 47 373
- Beeld: 45 149
- The Cape Times: 31 342
Weekly & weekend papers
Saturday Beeld has fallen to 41 479 from 43 818, and Pretoria News Saturday to 8 404 from 8 494 (sales below 50% of cover price: 1 636). The Saturday Star is down to 51 267 from 57 965 (sales below 50% of cover price: 4 585). Saturday Burger has fallen to 64 261 from 68 791. The Weekend Argus Saturday edition is down to 35 135 from 36 137, while the Weekend Argus Sunday edition is down to 18 534 from 18 965. Saturday Dispatch has fallen to 18 742 from 20 780. Independent on Saturday is down to 37 172 from 38 958.
City Press has declined to 92 204 from 98 952 and Rapport to 129 169 from 146 430. The Sunday Times has declined strongly to 291 770 from 343 282. Sunday Tribune is up to 63 195 from 62 991 (sales below 50% = 7 327). Sunday Sun is down to 108 823 from 146 079 and Sunday World also drops dramatically to 76 039 from 102 041.
Ilanga Langesonto has declined to 43 329 from 44 663 and Isolezwe ngeSonto has fallen to 78 092 from 89 104. Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo fallen to 76 115 from 81 580.
In terms of the weeklies: Ilanga has fallen to 69 988 from 81 169, but The Post has climbed to 43 992 from 43 567. The Mail & Guardian has grown to 32 728 from 30 783. Soccer Laduma is down to 279 237 from 295 497.
The MarkLives’ Biggest Circulation Per Issue Newspaper List*
- Sunday Times: 291 770
- Soccer Laduma: 279 237
- Daily Sun: 194 512
- Rapport: 129 169
- Sunday Sun: 108 823
- Isolezwe: 94 581
- City Press: 92 204
- Sowetan: 88 741
- The Star: 86 643 +1
- Isolezwe ngeSonto: 78 092 new entrant
Son: 77 473
Sunday World: 76 039 falls out of Top 10
The Times: 63 954
*South African titles only. Must have a cover price. Excludes free papers.
ABC Q2 2016 stories:
- ABC Analysis Q2 2016: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
- ABC Analysis Q2 2016: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa
ABC Q1 2016 stories:
- ABC Analysis Q1 2016: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
- ABC Analysis Q1 2016: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa
For more ABC stories:
Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com. He was the inaugural Vodacom Social Media Journalist of the Year in 2011 and has, over his 20-year-plus career, contributed to numerous journals and websites in South Africa and abroad, including AdVantage magazine, Men’s Health, Computer World and African Communications.
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