ABC Analysis Q3 2016: 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 July–September 2016 (ABC Q3 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.

Key insights

Daily newspaper circulation fell to 1 242 961 from 1 410 097 during the previous corresponding reporting period (Q3 2015); pdf replica editions totalled 5 801, down from 6 010 copies in Q2 2016, while single copy sales came in at 907 855. Circulation at the weeklies fell, too — total circulation declined to 521 679 from 576 121; weekend newspapers went to 1 526 613 from 1 735 759; and local papers also saw a decline, falling to 369 201 from 385 375. Free sheets fell to 6 340 958, from 8 062 134 (after Vuk’uzenzele Government Newspaper resigned from the ABC).

According to statistics provided by the ABC, total newspaper circulation declined by 0.7%, compared to the previous quarter (Q2 2016). Daily newspapers declined by 3.1%, weekly newspapers by 3%, weekend newspapers  by 3.2%, and local newspapers increased by 0.6%. Free newspapers remained static.

ABC member circulation totals:

• Daily newspapers: down to 1 242 961, compared to 1 410 097 for the previous corresponding period
• Weekly papers: down to 521 679 from 576 121
• Weekend papers: down to 1 526 613 from 1 735 759
• Local papers: down to 369 201 from 385 375
• Free papers: down to 6 340 958 from 8 062 134

Daily papers

In Gauteng, Beeld has fallen to 43 377 from 48 647 in the previous corresponding reporting period [1 281 copies go to Print Media in Education (PMIE)], but Pretoria News has inched up to 15 206 from 14 401 (sales below 50% of retail cost = 3 301). The Star  is up slightly to 85 975 from 85 567 (sales below 50% = 12 294). Sowetan is down to 88 299 from 92 453.

In the Cape, Die Burger (Eastern and Western Cape editions) has declined to 49 418 from 52 973. The Cape Argus has decreased slightly to 30 062 from 30 322 (3 090 to PMIE), while the Cape Times has also declined to 31 104 — down from 31 197 (3 293 copies go to PMIE, up from 2 419 in Q2 2016). Son has fallen to 73 170 from 79 114.

In the Eastern Cape, Daily Dispatch has fallen to 20 763 from 23 585, and The Herald to 20 387 from 21 285.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the Daily News is up slightly to 25 301 from 25 091 (1 050 = sales below 50%) and The Mercury has inched up to 25 758 from 25 656. The Witness has declined to 13 570 from 14 879.

Business Day has declined to 23 614 from 25 753, The Citizen to 45 947 from 54 689 (with sales below 50% at 2 547 and third-party bulk at 1 781), and Daily Sun to 183 345 from 224 732. Isolezwe has fallen to 94 839 from 104 510. The Times is down to 59 072 from 109 484 [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, and Q2 2016, when circ stood at 63 954].

Volksblad has declined to 15 703 from 17 406. Diamond Fields Advertiser is down to 8 264 from 8 700.

The MarkLives Big Daily Newspaper List*

1. Daily Sun: 183 345
2. Isolezwe: 94 839
3. Sowetan: 88 299
4. The Star: 85 975
5. Son: 73 170
6. The Times: 59 072
7. Die Burger: 49 418
8. The Citizen: 45 947
9. Beeld: 43 377
10. The Cape Times: 31 104

Weekly & weekend papers

Saturday Beeld has fallen to 40 311 from 42 729, but Pretoria News Saturday has grown to 9 034 from 7 408 (sales below 50% of cover price: 1 636). The Saturday Star is down to 51 145 from 53 434 (sales below 50% of cover price: 4 585). Saturday Burger has fallen to 62 833 from 67 469. The Weekend Argus Saturday edition has grown to 36 835 from 35 834, while the Weekend Argus Sunday edition is down to 17 335 from 17 747. Saturday Dispatch has fallen to 17 648 from 19 761. Independent on Saturday is down to 37 097 from 39 061.

City Press has declined to 83 988 from 94 291 and Rapport to 127 777 from 143 665. The Sunday Times has declined strongly to 283 360 from 338 532. Sunday Tribune has inched up to 61 146 from 61 035 (sales below 50% = 6 605). Sunday Sun is down to 101 825 from 137 094 and Sunday World has also dropped dramatically to 70 386 from 93 537.

Ilanga Langesonto has declined to 42 770 from 43 635 and Isolezwe ngeSonto has fallen to 75 100 from 84 144. Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo has fallen to 75 672 from 79 112.

In terms of the weeklies, Ilanga has fallen to 72 023 from 76 798, but The Post has climbed to 43 037 from 42 917. The Mail & Guardian falls to 28 782 from 30 286. Soccer Laduma is down to 295 556 from 328 336.

The MarkLives’ Biggest Circulation Per Issue Newspaper List*

1. Soccer Laduma: 295 556 +1
2. Sunday Times: 283 360 -1
3. Daily Sun: 183 345
4. Rapport: 127 777
5. Sunday Sun: 101 825
6. Isolezwe: 94 839
7. Sowetan: 88 299 +1
8. The Star: 85 975 +1
9. City Press: 83 988 -2
10. Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo: 75 672 new entrant

Isolezwe ngeSonto: 75 100 falls our of Top 10
Son: 73 170
Ilanga: 72 023
Sunday World: 70 386
The Times: 59 072

*South African titles only. Must have a cover price. Excludes free papers.

ABC Q3 2016 stories:

• ABC Analysis Q3 2016: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q3 2016: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa

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:

• ABC Analysis – Circulation Data

 

Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com. He was the founding editor of media.toolbox (1998–2006) and Mobile.Works, and the co-founder of Brand magazine. He has served on the editorial boards of The Journal for Convergence, as well as of Fast Company South Africa. Winner of the 2011 Vodacom Social Media Journalist of the Year award, he was also a finalist twice in the Highway Africa Award for the Innovative Use of New Media in Africa (2003 and 2004). Over his 20-year-plus career, Herman has contributed to numerous journals and websites in South Africa and abroad, including the Mail & Guardian, .net, Intelligence, AdVantage, Men’s Health, Computer World and African Communications. He has consulted on web architecture to several financial institutions.

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