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Magazines News South Africa

ABC Q2 2024: Magazines build on Q1 momentum with QoQ and YoY increases

This quarter, Q2 2024, sees magazines build on their momentum from Q1 2024, when magazines had a 7.6% growth. The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) Q2 2024 circulation for magazines shows quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) and year-over-year (YoY) increases.
Image by Ruth Cooper. Magazines continue their upward momentum in ABC's Q2 2024
Image by Ruth Cooper. Magazines continue their upward momentum in ABC's Q2 2024

Overall the magazine category had a 2.9% rise QoQ and an18.4% increase YoY. This says the ABC shows the resilience and adaptability of the magazine industry.

Consumer and B2B headed up this growth with increased QoQ and YoY. The ABC says the consumer category's "positive growth indicates a steady demand for consumer magazines with new members also contributing to the circulation growth".

B2B's figures show the "continued relevance and demand for B2B publications" says the ABC.

Custom magazines had a slight decline QoQ but a significant increase YoY. The ABC says this “suggests a need for strategic adjustments to maintain growth”.

Free magazines decreased QoQ and YoY, showing the challenges in this category.

Consumer magazines

This category grew by 11.2% QoQ and a 3.2% increase YoY.

Double growth QoQ figures came from Financial Mail, Essential Flavours, Sarie Kos / Food, The Gardener / Die Tuinier, Baby's and Beyond and Your Pregnancy and Baby.

Cape Etc had QoQ and YoY increases as did Financial Mail, African Birdlife, The Gardener / Die Tuinier, Baba & Kleuter, Baby's and Beyond and Your Pregnancy and Baby.

Baby's and Beyond had over 30% increases for both QoQ and YoY. Plus 50 had an increase YoY of over 70%.

Inbound SA is a new member in this category.

The circulation for consumer magazines in Q2 2024 stood at 929,207.

Arts, Culture and Heritage     
PublicationFrequencyFree circulationTotal circulation% change quarter% change year
Jewish LifeMtly8,4508,450-1.3%
Business and News     
BusinessBriefAltM2,29830,818
Fast CompanyQ1,8202,289New Member
Financial MailWkly, Th2,56917,95516.2%22.3%
Forbes AfricaAltM4,64511,3860.5%
SA Real Estate Investor MagazineMtly16,29216,292-0.7%Changed Sector
The Big Issue Magazine11xA6924,872-1.3%-6.4%
Communications     
The Little issueQ35,35735,357New Member
Conservation and Wildlife     
African BirdlifeAltM1,3267,6681.7%7.3%
Family Interest     
HuisgenootWkly, Th1,15781,508-14.7%
LIGQ012,136-3.8%-14.3%
Plus 506xA7125,413-5.8%71.7%
The Crest7xA0Discontinued
The Ridge8xA0Discontinued
YouWkly, Th99738,349-10.4%-19.5%
Farming     
Farmer's WeeklyWkly, Fr4075,5168.9%-19.3%
Grond tot MondQ29,02129,021-10.7%-5.2%
LandbouweekbladF10014,007-1.7%-2.1%
MarktoeMtly13,04413,044-6.8%-4.6%
Health & Wellbeing     
Grow to Eat3xA3,11410,878No Issue
Home     
Conde Nast House & Garden6xA3,06711,099No Issue2.5%
Essential FlavoursQ4,8808,53223.0%New Member
Food&Home MagazineQ3,17514,6712.1%-1.2%
Lose It6xA06,766-23.2%No Issue
SA Home Owner11xA5,45615,700-5.7%-18.9%
Sarie Kos / FoodQ1012,06718.3%-6.7%
The Gardener / Die TuinierMtly5,17726,67613.0%5.1%
Tuis Home8xA64554,469-8.0%
Visi6xA1,0939,595-0.3%-14.4%
Leisure     
Let’s Braai / Kom ons Braai (former The Ultimate BraaiAnn1910,259No Issue
Silver Digest4xA0TerminatedNo Issue
YourLuxury AfricaMtly18,39918,399New Member
Male     
GQ6xA1,7462,899-20.2%-42.1%
Men's Health6xA0Terminated
Motoring     
CarMtly10,14132,4090.8%-12.4%
Driven MagazineMtly7,0207,0205.8%-6.3%
Parenting     
Baba & KleuterQ010,3385.7%1.2%
Baby's and BeyondQ12,86012,96332.7%30.9%
Your Pregnancy and BabyAltM1,7485,79411.3%21.3%
Sport and Hobby     
Compleat GolferMtly2,6525,967-21.0%-23.1%
SA RugbyMtly2,6855,531-0.5%-32.9%
Travel, Tourism & Hospitality     
Cape Etc3xA5,4817,7773.2%6.9%
GetawayMtly2,65111,065-8.6%-12.1%
go! Drive & Camp and Weg! Ry & SleepAltM021,416-3.1%-13.5%
Inbound SAMtly9,9319,931New Member
Weg / Go PlattelandQ10016,6006.9%-1.6%
Weg/GoAltM41040,851-4.1%-9.5%
Woman's General     
BONA MagazineMtly4,12113,198-0.9%-7.1%
FairladyAltM45224,683-4.0%-13.7%
Garden & Home MagazineMtly2,6869,642-32.0%
Glamour6xA7,17310,569-16.7%-14.5%
KuierF28740,148-8.6%-16.8%
Rooi Rose MagazineMtly6,58327,169-7.0%-7.9%
SarieAltM2,34350,902-8.3%-13.9%
True LoveQ508,627-22.9%-14.9%
Women & Home MagazineMtly4,61720,516-8.0%-21.8%
Women's Health6xA0Terminated

B2B magazines

The B2B segment saw a circulation of 605,886 in Q2 2024, experiencing a 13.5% increase YoY and a 5.7% rise QoQ.

Stockfarm increased QoQ by over 50% and over 100% YoY.

The Specialist Forum Journal and Construction World, FA News, and Engineering News & Mining Weekly also had increases on QoQ and YoY.

Fire Protection had a huge YoY increase after its change in sector.

Agricultural     
PublicationFrequencyFree circulationTotal circulation% change quarter% change year
OVK Nuus/News4xA4,7754,7750.4%
SA Graan / GrainMtly19,96019,960-0.1%-6.4%
StockfarmMtly12,75016,88151.8%104.4%
VeeplaasMtly12,85717,001
WinelandMtly3,1083,155-0.3%-1.0%
Architecture     
Floors in Africa7xA13,23213,232-3.9%Changed Sector
Leading Architect & Design6xA4,9314,974-2.5%-25.3%
SA Building ReviewAnn0No Issue
To Build4xA8,2549,818-0.3%
Walls & roofs in Africa7xA13,23213,232-3.9%Changed Sector
Automotive     
SA TreadsQ3,6443,644-30.8%Changed Sector
Civil Construction     
Civil EngineeringMtly14,57814,584Changed Sector
Construction WorldMtly17,05417,0540.7%3.0%
IMIESA10xA10,43610,436-2.7%Changed Publisher
Communications     
Future SA4xA0No Issue
SA ProfileAnn0No IssueNo Issue
ServiceQ4,9634,963-0.1%
Electrical Engineering     
Electricity & ControlMtly10,54110,541-0.3%-22.7%
ESI Africa2xA4,7954,795No Issue
Sparks Electrical NewsMtly14,86514,865-0.4%2.9%
Engineering - Other     
Capital Equipment NewsMtly13,58713,587-0.7%1.2%
DataweekMtly2,8302,830-0.9%0.8%
Go2Energy Technical Journal2xA10,38810,388No IssueChanged Sector
MechChem AfricaAltM10,72110,721-0.7%3.2%
Motion ControlQ1,7161,7160.2%-18.8%
Plumbing AfricaMtly10,69210,734-1.6%-17.9%
Refrigeration and AirconditioningMtly6,1426,150-0.5%-24.1%
SA Instrumentation & ControlMtly4,0464,0460.3%-1.7%
Water & Sanitation Africa6xA8,4908,490-2.2%Changed Publisher
Health and Wellbeing     
Fire ProtectionQ683683143.1%Changed Sector
MDR Medical Desk ReferenceAnn3701,073No Issue-54.1%
Medical Chronicle11xA29,86129,8611.6%
MIMSMtly2761,710-49.5%-35.8%
Modern Medicine Magazine6xA2,9963,464-6.7%-13.0%
SMART Security Solutions8xA3,9553,9550.4%-8.7%
South African Pharmaceutical & Cosmetic Review11xA2,7122,7153.4%-7.2%
The Specialist Forum Journal11xA26,20226,20236.0%6.9%
Industry     
Analytical Reporter6xA4,6474,64710.4%-15.6%
Cold Link Africa8xA3,6203,624-7.9%11.5%
Eastern Cape BusinessAnn4,9714,971No Issue
KwaZulu Natal BusinessAnn4,9644,964No Issue0.2%
Lighting in DesignQ7,7457,745-0.8%2.4%
Northern Cape BusinessAnn4,9654,965No Issue
Opportunity (Exploring Business Prospects in SAQ4,9484,9480.3%
South African Food Review11xA3,4413,4531.1%-8.2%
The Journal of African BusinessQ4,9674,967No Issue
Information and Computer Technology     
Brainstorm11xA3,3957,7832.4%-12.8%
Management     
African DecisionsQ11,23912,788-1.3%-0.3%
Black Business QuarterlyQ31,67231,807-4.5%-14.0%
Blue ChipQ7,4627,4620.1%-62.8%
Business Day EarthAnn0No IssueNo IssueNo Issue
Business Day EmpowermentAnn0No IssueNo IssueNo Issue
FA NewsAltM2,7502,9061.6%0.4%
KZN InvestQ0Discontinued
LeadershipMtly35,78535,9846.3%-4.4%
Money MarketingMtly5,8565,856-0.3%-19.2%
Public Sector Leaders11xA8,1908,190-10.4%Changed Sector
South African Business IntergratorQ8,6959,747-1.3%
Top 500 : South Africa's Best Managed CompaniesAnn258258New MemberNew Member
Top Women Leader11xA323323-97.3%Changed Sector
Mining & Quarrying     
African Mines HandbookAnn0No IssueNo Issue
African Mining Inc. Mining MirrorMtly23,68714.6%-15.0%
EarthbrokerMtly5,382
Engineering News & Mining WeeklyWkly, Fr13,99914.5%20.5%
Mining Review Africa6xA4,7950.1%-3.1%
Modern MiningMtly10,227-4.4%-28.2%
Modern QuarryingQ7,034-2.2%3.8%
Retail     
DIY And Industrial Trade NewsMtly8,35524.1%-18.8%
Pharmacy Magazine (former Frontshop11xA17,98913.8%-2.6%
Supermarket & RetailerMtly16,746-3.4%Changed Sector
Transport and Logistics     
Freight News FeaturesMtly5,446-3.4%-0.2%

Custom magazines

While this category had a significant 35.7% increase YoY, it had a slight decline of 2.0% QoQ.

Wolboer / Wool Farmer changed sector and had an increase YoY of over 30%.

South African Medical Journal, In Flight Magazine, Jet Club and Rove SA had double QoQ and YoY increases.

Farming     
PublicationFrequencyFree circulationTotal circulation% change quarter% change year
Dairy Mail, TheMtly1,3251,325-3.8%22.9%
Wolboer / Wool FarmerAltM1,9911,99135.4%Changed Sector
Health & Wellbeing     
SA Pharmaceutical Journal10xA6,9316,931No Issue6.8%
South African Medical JournalMtly12,26612,26646.0%38.1%
Home     
Living SpaceMtly20034,587-11.9%
My KitchenMtly30084,437-3.9%10.1%
Industry Specific     
J S EQ13,31514,751-0.8%-9.7%
Sea Rescue3xA0No Issue
ServamusMtly526,379-3.3%-13.7%
The Journal of the SAIMMMtly1,8081,808-12.0%Changed Sector
In-flight     
In Flight MagazineMtly40,18540,1854.0%9.1%
Leisure     
Private Edition4xA9,9979,997No Issue8.8%
Taste6xA0Discontinued
Male     
ManMtly50063,898-1.2%6.3%
TechMtly20028,9074.1%-18.9%
Professional     
Accountancy SAMtly54,80454,804-4.9%Changed Sector
De Rebus11xA42,14859,710Changed Sector
Retail     
Club MagazineMtly7,000228,932-1.5%-9.9%
Jet Club7xA5270,9752.9%6.3%
Sport and Hobby     
Game & Hunt/Wild & JagMtly65,44266,8560.3%-2.3%
SoccerClubMtly90049,858-2.2%-2.1%
SportsClubMtly900102,7903.4%-1.3%
Wildland MagazineMtly4,66182,0700.5%Changed Sector
Travel, Tourism & Hospitality     
PremierMtly7,8187,8180.9%-0.8%
Rove SAQ12,41513,23230.3%25.1%
Woman's General     
Balanced LifeMtly30042,202-4.6%-15.3%
Youth     
ClubXMtly466105,587-2.2%-1.8%
Kids Super ClubMtly49070,2401.3%-3.3%

Free magazines

The free magazines category reported a circulation of 86,962 in Q2 2024, showing a 7.6% decrease YoY and an 8.1% decline QoQ.

Get It (Bloemfontein) is the highlight of the category in a sea of QoQ declines, with a QoQ increase of over 10%.

PublicationFrequencyTotal circulation% change quarter% change year
Botswana AdvertiserF99,965
Get It (Ballito to UmhlangaMtly11,975-2.1%
Get It (BloemfonteinMtly6,89010.7%
Get It (HighwayMtly11,790-0.4%-0.6%
Get It (Jo'burg SouthMtly12,750-13.6%-13.5%
Get It (Jo'burg WestMtly11,972-13.4%-10.4%
Get It (LowveldMtly6,4003.2%
Get It (Northern Suburbs JoburgMtly12,764-13.8%-12.2%
Get It (PretoriaMtly12,421-14.3%-14.9%

Tables by Andre Rademan

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