by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released consumer-magazine circulation statistics for the period July–September 2017 (ABC Q3 2017); see our newspaper ABC analysis here. Apart from highlighting several figures that stand out for us, we’ve added a table of web traffic for Q3 and also updated our list of the biggest-circulating consumer titles in SA.
Note: we compare the current figures with the same figures for this time the year before, and not with the previous quarter. Green equals growth; red declined; purple maintained, new entrant or renamed; orange discontinued or resigned; pink no submission or suspended; brown minimal newsstand sales; and grey moved to a new category.
Key insights
According to data supplied by the ABC, total magazine circulation declined by 2.6% compared to the previous quarter, and by 13.5% to the prior year. Consumer magazines decreased by 2.1% on the previous quarter but increased by 5.2% on the prior year; this was as a result of several titles changing sector from custom to consumer. Excluding these changes, consumer magazines declined by 7.6% on the prior year. Custom magazines declined by 3.3% on the prior quarter, and by 25.7% on the prior year (see above).
Overall, consumer magazine circulation grew to 4 777 362 from 4 542 280 in the previous corresponding reporting period, as a result of several titles changing from custom to consumer. Single-copy sales stood at 2 461 130 (down from 2 562 169 in Q2 2017) and total paid (which includes subscription figures) at 3 660 884 (down from 33 760 586 in Q2 2017). Paid-for digital copy sales stood at 80 715.
Custom magazines saw an overall circulation decline to 5 515 864 from 7 837 468 in the corresponding previous reporting period; a number of titles were discontinued, while others moved to the consumer magazine category. Single copy sales in this category stood at 151 149, and total paid-for circulation at 1 164 174.
The business press
Finweek is up to 18 746 from 11 843 (total free copies = 2 881 plus sales at below 50% of the cover price = 8 044; single copy sales: 4 018). Financial Mail is slightly down to 13 266 from 13 319 in the corresponding previous reporting period.
Your Business Magazine has grown slightly to 9 367 from 9 359; Forbes Africa is up to 19 799 from 18 242 (total free = 8 888); Entrepreneur has declined to 14 579 from 16 778; Noseweek has declined to 11 405 from 13 275; and Personal Finance has fallen to 9 532 from 11 459.
Landbouweekblad has grown to 28 567 from 27 347 and Marktoe! to 10 633 from 9 900 (total free = 10 633) but Farmer’s Weekly is down to 12 138 from 12 227 and Veeplaas has fallen to 7 814 from 8 627.
Biggest-circulating business magazines in terms of paid-for (sales, bulk and subscriptions) circulation
- Finweek: 15 865
- Entrepreneur: 14 574
- Financial Mail: 13 266
- Noseweek: 11 405
- Forbes Africa: 10 911
- Personal Finance: 9 447
- Your Business: 7 336
Biggest-circulating business magazines in terms of total circulation
- Forbes Africa: 19 799
- Finweek: 18 746
- Entrepreneur: 14 579
- Financial Mail: 13 266
- Noseweek: 11 405
- Personal Finance: 9 532
- Your Business: 9 367
Position movement relative to Q2 2017.
Entertainment & celeb news
People has seen its circulation decrease to 34 787 from 42 333. TV Plus (Afrikaans) is down to 30 385 from 31 268 and the English edition has fallen to 16 773 from 26 216.
Bona is up to 71 952 from 71 214 in the previous corresponding reporting period. Drum has fallen to 40 680 from 50 506; Huisgenoot has dropped to 190 586 from 212 241; and YOU has fallen to 97 506 from 109 591.
The Big Issue has fallen to 10 290 from 10 731. Taalgenoot is down to 68 427 from 69 023.
Home & gardening, leisure
Condé Nast House & Garden has declined to 32 595 from 34 376 (total free = 8 269). Easy DYI is down to 11 618 from 12 598 (total free = 5 017). Food & Home Entertaining has fallen to 23 242 from 24 874 (total free: 5 733). House & Leisure has declined to 19 698 from 25 962 (total free: 2 654). Sarie Kos has fallen to 26 331 from 31 943.
Woolworths TASTE is listed as a custom magazine — circulation has declined slightly to 24 662 from 25 932 (single copy sales: 18 553).
ELLE Decoration has fallen to 15 885 from 22 705 (total free: 1 027) and SA Home Owner is down to 38 521 from 40 023 (total free: 8 254). SA Garden and Home is down to 47 299 from 51 480 (total free: 5 773). Tuis Home beats the trend to climb to 80 101 from 77 269 (total free: 809) and VISI has climbed to 15 703 from 15 111. MyKitchen (TFG) came in at 98 017 (new category: moved from custom).
Men’s market
Destiny Man has fallen to 13 259 from 14 252 (total free 3 815). Very Interesting has nudged down to 18 209, compared to 18 499 (total free = 4 412) in the previous corresponding reporting period.
GQ is down to 18 182 from 20 333 (total free: 6 565); Men’s Health has fallen to 27 602 from 34 491 and Popular Mechanics to 27 482 from 27 874 (total free: 3 740). Stuff is down to 13 925 from 15 893 (total free: 2 120). Tech is at 66 088 (new category: moved from custom).
Health, fitness, sport
Kick Off is down to 18 054 from 27 999. Sports Club (TFG) has come in at 153 840 (changed category from custom). Golf Digest has jumped to 12 136 from 7 917.
SA Hunter has climbed to 47 931 from 43 930 while Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag is down to 9 571 from 11 621.
Hitting the road
SA 4×4 falls to 14 881 from 16 813 and Driven to 17 902 from 18 012. Leisure Wheels is up to 14 381 from 13 436 while CAR has grown to 62 130 from 59 120. TFG Motor has been moved from the custom to consumer category; its circulation has come in at 41 035.Speed and Sound is down to 24 232 from 27 173. Bike SA has jumped to 17 183 from 14 971 (total free = 5 808).
Getaway is up to 42 590 from 41 836 (total free has jumped to 11 708) but Weg!/Go! has fallen to 53 897 from 57 098. SA Country Life has declined to 29 743 from 35 738. Platteland has fallen to 32 729 from 35 424.
Woman’s general
Destiny Magazine is down to 25 125 from 26 576 (total free: 4 278). Cosmopolitan has declined to 37 128 from 42 554 (total free = 5 136), and Glamour to 45 478 from 47 311 (total free: 7 968). ELLE has ticked up to 22 422 from 22 090 (total free has jumped to 5 423). Fair Lady is down to 32 975 from 36 053.
Good Housekeeping/Goeie Huishouding has declined to 37 753 from 48 136 (total free: 4 797). Move! has collapsed to 70 062 from 84 835. True Love is down to 27 693 from 32 690, and Vroue Keur has dropped to 48 536 from 54 516. Woman and Home is down to 73 294 from 78 000 (total free jumps to 9 964).
Kuier has declined to 91 672 from 94 602, Rooi Rose has declined to 63 818 from 68 036 (total free jumps to 9 447), Longevity is down to 16 837 from 18 449, and Finesse is down to 45 973 following a frequency change. Essentials is down to 25 888 from 28 407; Sarie has fallen to 57 272 from 66 886, Your Family is down to 29 836 from 35 337, and Women’s Health has decreased to 31 520 from 35 580. Marie Claire climbs to 22 077 from 20 703 (total free = 4 453).
The MarkLives’ Big Magazine list*
- Huisgenoot: 190 586
- Sports Club (TFG): 153 840
- Kids Super Club (TFG): 118 672
- MyKitchen (TFG): 98 017 +2
- YOU: 97 506 -1
- Kuier: 91 672 -1
- Tuis/Home: 80 101 +2
- Woman and Home: 73 294 -1
- Bona: 71 952 +3 re-enters top 10
- Move!: 70 062 -1
Foschini Living Space: 68 827 -1 falls out of top 10
Taalgenoot: 68 427
Tech (TFG): 66 088
Rooi Rose: 63 818
CAR: 62 130
*By total circulation. Must have a cover price. Annuals excluded. Movement on the Big Magazine list compared to 2017 Q2 data.
Web traffic Q3
Impressions |
Daily ave unique browsers |
Title |
Sector |
Category |
Frequency |
Subs period |
917903 | 17281 | SA Rugby | Consumer | Sport and Hobby | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
876738 | 14565 | Car | Consumer | Motoring | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
571093 | 10371 | Good Housekeeping/ Goeie Huishouding | Consumer | Woman’s General | N/A | Jul-Sep |
515027 | 10178 | Destiny Magazine | Consumer | Woman’s General | N/A | Jul-Sep |
448814 | 8873 | Getaway | Consumer | Travel | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
299025 | 4421 | Vrouekeur | Consumer | Woman’s General | N/A | Jul-Sep |
298644 | 3926 | Cosmopolitan | Consumer | Woman’s General | N/A | Jul-Sep |
255201 | 4703 | Bona | Consumer | Family Interest | N/A | Jul-Sep |
249244 | 2874 | Woman and Home | Consumer | Woman’s General | N/A | Jul-Sep |
233302 | 3567 | Rooi Rose | Consumer | Woman’s General | N/A | Jul-Sep |
211012 | 4285 | Destiny Man | Consumer | Male | N/A | Jul-Sep |
207196 | 2912 | Farmer’s Weekly | Consumer | Farming | N/A | Jul-Sep |
197602 | 2441 | Bicycling | Consumer | Sport and Hobby | 10xA | Jan-Jun |
174938 | 2004 | Essentials | Consumer | Woman’s General | N/A | Jul-Sep |
173997 | 3129 | Marie Claire | Consumer | Woman’s General | N/A | Jul-Sep |
164249 | 1793 | SA Garden and Home | Consumer | Home | N/A | Jul-Sep |
156878 | 2210 | Living and Loving | Consumer | Parenting | N/A | Jul-Sep |
130138 | 2401 | Voelgoed | Consumer | Woman’s General | 9xA | Jan-Jun |
121837 | 1566 | Your Family | Consumer | Woman’s General | N/A | Jul-Sep |
114874 | 1469 | Food & Home Entertaining | Consumer | Home | N/A | Jul-Sep |
100653 | 2105 | People | Consumer | Celebrity | N/A | Jul-Sep |
96347 | 1048 | SA Home Owner | Consumer | Home | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
90825 | 1375 | House and Leisure | Consumer | Home | N/A | Jul-Sep |
84980 | 1970 | Baba & Kleuter. | Consumer | Parenting | N/A | Jan-Jun |
60530 | 1282 | SA Country Life | Consumer | Travel | N/A | Jul-Sep |
59812 | 1072 | De Rebus | Custom | Professional | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
57353 | 1182 | Elle | Consumer | Woman’s General | N/A | Jul-Sep |
53238 | 945 | Popular Mechanics | Consumer | Male | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
45352 | 968 | Leisure Wheels | Consumer | Motoring | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
35634 | 254 | Lose It | Consumer | Home | AltM | Jan-Jun |
27590 | 418 | Cape Etc. | Consumer | Travel | 3xA | Jan-Dec |
19447 | 235 | Compleat Golfer | Consumer | Sport and Hobby | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
505 | 22078 | Get It Highway/Durban North/Berea | Free | N/A | Jul-Sep | |
198 | 9538 | Get It (Joburg West) | Free | Mtly | Jul-Sep | |
167 | 7175 | Get It (Lowveld) | Free | N/A | Jul-Sep | |
116 | 6516 | Get It (Northern Suburbs Joburg) | Free | Mtly | Jul-Sep | |
85 | 3764 | Get It Joburg South | Free | N/A | Jul-Sep | |
56 | 2462 | Get It (eMalahleni – Middelburg) | Free | N/A | Jul-Sep | |
55 | 2913 | Get It Joburg East | Free | N/A | Jul-Sep | |
41 | 2431 | Get it (Northern KZN) | Free | N/A | Jul-Sep | |
0 | 0 | Longevity | Consumer | Health | N/A | Jan-Jun |
0 | 0 | Elle Decoration | Consumer | Home | N/A | Jan-Jun |
Resigned | Resigned | You | Consumer | Family Interest | Wkly, Th | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | Women’s Health | Consumer | Woman’s General | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | Weg | Consumer | Travel | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | Tuis / Home | Consumer | Home | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | True Love | Consumer | Woman’s General | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | Sarie | Consumer | Woman’s General | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | Runner’s World | Consumer | Sport and Hobby | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | Move | Consumer | Woman’s General | Wkly, Wed | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | Men’s Health | Consumer | Male | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | Landbouweekblad | Consumer | Farming | Wkly, Fr | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | Kuier | Consumer | Woman’s General | F | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | Kick Off | Consumer | Sport and Hobby | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | Huisgenoot | Consumer | Family Interest | N/A | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | Fairlady | Consumer | Woman’s General | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
Resigned | Resigned | Drum | Consumer | Family Interest | Wkly, Th | Jul-Sep |
Discontinued | Discontinued | TopGear | Consumer | Motoring | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
Discontinued | Discontinued | TopCar | Consumer | Motoring | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
Discontinued | Discontinued | Idees | Consumer | Woman’s General | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
Discontinued | Discontinued | Grazia | Consumer | Woman’s General | Wkly, Wed | Jul-Sep |
Changed frequency | Changed frequency | Baba & Kleuter | Consumer | Parenting | Mtly | Jul-Sep |
ABC 2017 stories
- ABC Analysis Q2 2017: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
- ABC Analysis Q2 2017: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa
- ABC Analysis Q1 2017: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
- ABC Analysis Q1 2017: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa
More ABC stories
Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com.
— Sign up now for the MarkLives email newsletter every Monday and Thursday, now including headlines from the Ramify.biz company newsroom service!
Where is Escapes magazine in your listings?