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by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released newspaper-circulation statistics for the period July–September 2017 (ABC Q3 2017); see our magazine ABC analysis here. Apart from highlighting several figures that stand out for us, we’ve added a table of web traffic for Q3.

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 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

Total newspaper circulation declined by 1.5% on the previous quarter, and by 6% on the year prior, according to the latest ABC data. Daily newspapers declined by 3.9% on the previous quarter, and by 11.9% on the year prior. Weekly newspapers increased by 3.8% on the previous quarter, but decreased by 6.5% on the year prior. Weekend newspapers declined by 3.4% on the previous quarter, and by 12.1% on the year prior. Local newspapers remained static compared to the previous quarter, but declined by 6.6% on the year prior.

Daily newspaper circulation fell to 1 126 532 from 1 242 958 during the previous corresponding reporting period (Q3 2016); pdf replica editions totalled 6 957, while single-copy sales came in at 829 047. Circulation at the weeklies fell, too — total circulation declined to 486 616 from 521 678; weekend newspapers declined to 1 356 674 from 1 526 592; and local papers dropped to 333 884 from 357 629. Free sheets fell to 6 139 426, from 6 383 491.

ABC member circulation totals

  • Daily newspapers: down to 1 126 532, compared to 1 242 958 for the previous corresponding period
  • Weekly papers: down to 486 616 from 521 678
  • Weekend papers: down to 1 356 674 from 1 526 592
  • Local papers: down to 333 884 from 357 629
  • Free papers: down to 6 139 426 from 6 383 491

Daily papers

Business Day, 7 November 2017In Gauteng, Pretoria News has declined to 12 570 from 15 206 (sales below 50% of retail cost = 2 438). Beeld has fallen to 37 560 from 43 374 in the previous corresponding reporting period. The Star is down to 75 288 from 85 975 (sales below 50% = 10 285). Sowetan is down to 73 650 from 88 299.

In the Cape, Die Burger (Eastern and Western Cape editions) has declined to 46 379 from 49 418. The Cape Argus has decreased to 27 640 from 30 062 [3 152 to Print Media in Education (PMIE)], while the Cape Times has also declined to 29 608 from 31 104 (3 092 copies go to PMIE). Son has fallen to 66 645 from 73 170.

In the Eastern Cape, Daily Dispatch has fallen to 18 086 from 20 763, and The Herald to 18 172 from 20 387.

In KwaZulu-Natal, The Mercury has declined to 25 129 from 25 758, and the Daily News is down to 23 283 from 25 301. The Witness has declined to 12 637 from 13 570.

Business Day has declined to 20 030 from 23 614, The Citizen to 44 216 from 45 947 (single copy sales: 29 116), and Daily Sun to 155 908 from 183 345. Isolezwe has fallen to 85 807 from 94 839. The Times is down to 45 098 from 59 072 (the print edition just got canned).

Volksblad has declined to 14 259 from 15 703. Diamond Fields Advertiser is down to 7 563 from 8 264.

The MarkLives Big Daily Newspaper List

  1. Daily Sun: 155 908
  2. Isolezwe: 85 807
  3. The Star: 75 288
  4. Sowetan: 73 650
  5. Son: 66 645
  6. Die Burger: 46 379  +1
  7. The Times: 45 098  -1
  8. The Citizen: 44 216
  9. Beeld: 37 560
  10. The Cape Times: 29 608

Weekly & weekend papers

Mail & Guardian, 3-9 November 2017Pretoria News Saturday has declined to 7 530 from 9 034 (sales below 50% of cover price: 1 384), while Independent on Saturday has fallen to 35 092 from 37 097 (sales below 50% of cover price: 3 323). The Weekend Argus (Saturday and Sunday editions) has declined to 51 651 from 54 166; the Saturday Star is down to 44 929 from 51 145 (sales below 50% of cover price: 3 880); Saturday Beeld has fallen to 36 962 from 40 311; Saturday Burger has declined to 59 048 from 62 833; and Saturday Dispatch to 16 372 from 17 648.

City Press has collapsed to 62 962 from 83 980 and Rapport falls to 115 878 from 127 764 (single copy sales: 91 108). The Sunday Times has declined to 260 781 from 283 360 (single copy sales: 154 363). Sunday Tribune has declined to 51 510 from 61 146 (sales below 50% = 6 000). Sunday Sun has crashed to 75 906 from 101 825, and Sunday World to 54 836 from 70 386.

Ilanga Langesonto is down to 37 746 from 42 770 and Isolezwe ngeSonto has declined to 67 499 from 75 100. Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo has fallen to 65 213 from 75 672.

In terms of the weeklies, The Post is down to 36 703 from 43 037 (sales below 50%: 2 241) and Ilanga has fallen to 63 718 from 72 023. The Mail & Guardian has fallen to 27 766 from 28 781. Soccer Laduma is down to 281 950 from 295 556.

The MarkLives’ Biggest Circulation Per Issue Newspaper List*

  1. Soccer Laduma: 281 950  +1
  2. Sunday Times: 260 781  -1
  3. Daily Sun: 155 908
  4. Rapport: 115 878
  5. Isolezwe: 85 807
  6. Sunday Sun: 75 906  +1
  7. The Star: 75 288  -1
  8. Sowetan: 73 650
  9. Isolezwe ngeSonto: 67 499  +2
  10. Son: 66 645  -1

Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo: 65 213  -1  falls out of top 10
Ilanga: 63 718
City Press: 62 962

*South African titles only. Must have a cover price. Excludes free papers. Movement on the Big Newspaper list compared to 2017 Q2 data.

Web traffic Q3

Impressions

Daily ave unique browsers

Title

Sector

Frequency

Subs period

14140311 94414 Daily Sun Daily Newspapers MD, Mo-Fr Jul-Sep
10537928 98732 The Citizen Daily Newspapers AD, Mo-Fr Jul-Sep
3564469 24337 Son Daily Newspapers MD, Mo-Fr Jul-Sep
21933 1337340 City Press Weekend Newspapers Wknd Jul-Sep
8921 461624 Roodepoort Record Free Newspaper Wkly, Th Jul-Sep
7949 409589 Lowvelder Digital N/A Jul-Sep
7113 314934 Rekord Centurion Free Newspaper Wkly, Wed Jul-Sep
6892 325279 Rekord East/Oos Free Newspaper Wkly, Tue Jul-Sep
6551 339869 Kempton Express Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
5876 321849 Krugersdorp News Free Newspaper Wkly, Wed Jul-Sep
5626 281383 Northglen News Free Newspaper Wkly, Tue Jul-Sep
4093 193486 Highway Mail Free Newspaper Wkly, Wed Jul-Sep
3986 194546 Benoni City Times Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
3658 187822 Randfontein Herald Local Newspaper Wkly, Tue Jul-Sep
3422 150278 Rekord North/Noord Free Newspaper Wkly, Th Jul-Sep
3367 163425 Rekord Moot Free Newspaper Wkly, Th Jul-Sep
3121 179425 Witbank News Local Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
3104 173460 Chatsworth Rising Sun Free Newspaper Wkly, Tue Jul-Sep
3092 177514 Middelburg Observer Local Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
3072 145510 Alberton Record Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
2868 123591 Roodepoort Northsider (FormerlyNorthside Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
2769 135745 Sandton Chronicle Free Newspaper Wkly, Wed Jul-Sep
2731 147119 Ridge Times Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
2636 153651 Mpumalanga News Local Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
2396 79924 Randburg Sun Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
2282 104429 Bedfordview and Edenvale News Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
1851 150712 George Herald Local Newspaper Wkly, Th Jul-Sep
1836 115740 Ladysmith Gazette Local Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
1705 88044 Boksburg Advertiser Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
1548 89900 Newcastle Advertiser Local Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
1523 72334 Southcoast Sun Free Newspaper Wkly, Th Jul-Sep
1443 73579 Brakpan Herald Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
1404 71996 Springs Advertiser Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
1349 70313 Polokwane Observer Local Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
1294 106464 Fourways Review Free Newspaper Wkly, Wed Jul-Sep
1239 55094 Northcliff & Melville Times Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
1187 51085 Rosebank Killarney Gazette Free Newspaper Wkly, Tue Jul-Sep
1029 55507 Steelburger News Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
1002 64067 Kzn Eyethu Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
925 40226 Southlands Sun Free Newspaper Wkly, Tue Jul-Sep
900 43962 Berea Mail Free Newspaper Wkly, Th Jul-Sep
890 37782 MARITZBURG SUN Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
846 54303 Oudtshoorn Courant Local Newspaper Wkly, Fr Jul-Sep
839 50163 Northern Natal Courier Local Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
833 36684 Comaro Chronicle Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
826 58919 Mossel Bay Advertiser Local Newspaper Wkly, Fr Jul-Sep
787 41292 Midrand Reporter Free Newspaper Wkly, Th Jul-Sep
744 39304 Germiston City News Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
741 35618 Southern Courier Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
738 43326 Phoenix Sun Free Newspaper Wkly, Wed Jul-Sep
630 32585 Vryheid Herald Local Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
629 41187 Knysna Plett Herald Local Newspaper Wkly, Th Jul-Sep
608 34098 Estcourt & Midlands news Local Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
555 29604 Public Eye Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
524 30933 Alex News Free Newspaper Wkly, Th Jul-Sep
377 20088 Overport Rising Sun Free Newspaper Wkly, Th Jul-Sep
359 13342 North Eastern Tribune Free Newspaper Wkly, Tue Jul-Sep
348 21195 African Reporter Local Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
317 19765 South Cape Forum|Suid Kaap Forum Local Newspaper Wkly, Fr Jul-Sep
304 26164 City Buzz Free Newspaper Mtly Jul-Sep
277 14082 Corridor Gazette Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
276 11666 White River Post Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
266 13700 Joburg East Express Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
229 10523 Hazyview Herald Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
212 9067 Nelspruit Post Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep
175 9753 Barberton Times Free Newspaper N/A Jul-Sep

 

ABC 2017 stories

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Last updated 2 July 2019.

 

Herman Manson 2017Herman Manson (@marklives) is the founder and editor of MarkLives.com.

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Published by Herman Manson

MarkLives.com is edited by Herman Manson. Follow us on Twitter - http://twitter.com/marklives

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