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ABC Q4 2023: Magazines: Sporting events fuel growth despite overall magazine circulation decline
21 Feb 2024
The latest Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) of South Africa’s audited circulation figures release shows a significant annual decline of 12% for the magazine sector.
Image: Bizcommunity., Lesley Svenson. The ABC audited circulation figures show a significant annual decline of 12% for the magazine sector
The figures, released today, Wednesday 21 February, are for the period October 2023 to December 2023, that is Quarter 4, 2023.
The decline is across all categories compared to Q3 and reflects a 16% drop in magazine membership to the ABC.
Despite this, there are highlights. Custom magazine circulation increased by 25%, Business-to-Business (B2B) by 6%, and Free magazines by 1% in contrast to Q3.
“Sporting magazines witnessed robust growth, largely attributed to the successful Rugby World Cup in France. Additionally, several consumer and custom magazines demonstrated circulation increases,” says the ABC.
In stark contrast, compared to Q3, consumer magazines decreased 12%.
The ABC notes a positive trend in total ABC circulation, which rose by 1.3% compared to Q3.
“It's important to consider that quarterly circulation is influenced by publication frequency. The total circulation for Q4 reached 9,349,836, reflecting this growth,” it states.
It adds, “Quarter-on-quarter, ABC membership decreased slightly from 405 to 403 in total, while year-on-year total membership declined from 448 to 403. Magazine membership increased by one member.”
This reflects a trend in 2023 that publishers appeared to favour adjusting publication frequency and reducing print volumes over shutting down their publications altogether.
Consumer magazines
Despite its sharp decline on Q3, this category had some good highlights.
The Sports & Hobbies sector figures bore testimony to the above statement by the ABC, with two of the three publications showing good increases.
Compleat Golfer had increases on the previous quarter and the prior year. SA Rugby had a good increase on the previous quarter on the back of the Rugby World Cup.
The other sector where publications show good gains is the Business & News category where two of the three publications showed double-figure gains.
Continuing its upward movement in Q2 and Q3 Forbes Africa had gains on the previous quarter and had double-figure gains on the prior year.
The Big Issue Magazine had over 45% growth on the previous quarter.
Financial Mail could not continue its upward gains in Q2 and Q3, and saw its circulation on the previous quarter decline, but it did show good increases on the prior year.
There was no or little good news in the Family Interest and the Home sectors. Not one publication in the Family Interest sector had any increase on the previous quarter or on the prior year. Two publications were discontinued.
In the Home sector, Visi is the only publication to show any increase on the previous quarter, with Food & Home Magazine and SA Home Owner the only two with increases on the prior year.
In the Women’s General sector, out of 10 publications four increased over the previous quarter and two on the prior year. This is an improvement on Q3 of one more publication (three in Q3) with increases on the previous quarter.
Glamour saw its circulation fall on the previous quarter and the prior year with double figures.
Women’s Health has joined this category.
| Arts, Culture and Heritage | |||||
| Publication | Frequency | Free circulation | Total circulation | % change quarter | % change year |
| Jewish Life | Mtly | 8,450 | 8,450 | -0.6% | 0.2% |
| Val de Vie Magazine | 2xA | 0 | No Issue | ||
| Business and News | |||||
| Financial Mail | Wkly, Fr | 1,818 | 14,893 | -4.4% | 23.4% |
| Forbes Africa | AltM | 4,978 | 10,569 | 3.1% | 14.7% |
| The Big Issue Magazine | Mtly | 12 | 6,886 | 46.1% | -7.1% |
| Conservation and Wildlife | |||||
| African Birdlife | AltM | 1,433 | 7,649 | 2.6% | 21.4% |
| Entertainment | |||||
| TV Plus (Afrikaans) | F | 0 | Discontinued | ||
| TV Plus (English) | F | 0 | Discontinued | ||
| Family Interest | |||||
| Huisgenoot | Wkly, Th | 4,011 | 85,969 | -5.6% | -18.4% |
| LIG | 11xA | 0 | 12,600 | -7.4% | -15.9% |
| Plus 50 | 6xA | 421 | 4,711 | -24.9% | -11.3% |
| The Crest | 7xA | 0 | Discontinued | ||
| The Ridge | 8xA | 0 | Discontinued | ||
| You | Wkly, Th | 2,857 | 43,123 | -5.8% | -20.1% |
| Farming | |||||
| Farmer's Weekly | Wkly, Fr | 556 | 5,825 | -9.0% | -6.6% |
| Grond tot Mond | Q | 32,467 | 32,467 | 1.4% | No Issue |
| Landbouweekblad | Wkly, Th | 36 | 14,443 | -1.7% | 29.4% |
| Marktoe! | Mtly | 13,822 | 13,822 | 0.9% | 8.1% |
| Veeplaas. | 11xA | 0 | Changed Sector | ||
| Health & Wellbeing | |||||
| Grow to Eat | 3xA | 1,887 | 8,801 | -39.4% | -25.0% |
| Home | |||||
| Conde Nast House & Garden | Mtly | 4,427 | 9,118 | -1.5% | -22.9% |
| Easy DIY | Q | 0 | Resigned | ||
| Food&Home Magazine | Q | 4,344 | 14,126 | -4.7% | 5.8% |
| Lose It | Q | 0 | No Issue | ||
| SA Home Owner | 11xA | 4,934 | 16,044 | -11.3% | 4.6% |
| Sarie Kos / Food | Q | 200 | 10,965 | -12.4% | -17.0% |
| The Gardener / Die Tuinier | Mtly | 2,708 | 19,187 | -23.1% | -14.8% |
| Tuis Home | 8xA | 1,207 | 53,488 | -6.3% | -14.3% |
| Visi | 6xA | 1,586 | 9,770 | 1.0% | -5.0% |
| Leisure | |||||
| Let’s Braai / Kom ons Braai (former The Ultimate Braai) | Ann | 0 | No Issue | ||
| Life & Style. | 4xA | 0 | Resigned | ||
| Male | |||||
| GQ | 5xA | 1,894 | 3,055 | 3.2% | -38.0% |
| Men's Health | 6xA | 0 | No Submission | New Member | |
| Popular Mechanics | Mtly | 0 | Ceased Publishing | ||
| Motoring | |||||
| Car | Mtly | 9,345 | 32,138 | -2.9% | -21.8% |
| Driven Magazine | Mtly | 6,597 | 6,597 | -4.3% | -14.5% |
| Parenting | |||||
| Baba & Kleuter | Q | 0 | No Issue | ||
| Baby's and Beyond | Q | 8,144 | 9,806 | 6.6% | 3.2% |
| Things to do With Kids | 2xA | 0 | Resigned | ||
| Your Pregnancy and Baby | AltM | 1,225 | 4,796 | -14.1% | -21.4% |
| Sport and Hobby | |||||
| Compleat Golfer | Mtly | 7,090 | 10,783 | 17.8% | 30.4% |
| Magnum | 8xA | 0 | Resigned | ||
| SA Rugby | Mtly | 3,301 | 7,709 | 11.7% | -24.2% |
| Travel, Tourism & Hospitality | |||||
| Cape Etc | 3xA | 0 | No Issue | ||
| Getaway | Mtly | 3,160 | 11,953 | 0.2% | -21.0% |
| go! Drive & Camp and Weg! Ry & Sleep | AltM | 0 | 19,978 | -11.3% | -19.2% |
| Weg / Go Platteland | Q | 60 | 15,114 | -5.8% | -15.4% |
| Weg/Go | AltM | 50 | 38,427 | -6.7% | -7.3% |
| Woman's General | |||||
| BONA Magazine | Mtly | 5,639 | 13,287 | -6.5% | -7.7% |
| Fairlady | AltM | 1,513 | 26,209 | -13.2% | -1.6% |
| Garden & Home Magazine | Mtly | 4,435 | 14,175 | 0.5% | -9.2% |
| Glamour | Q | 5,874 | 7,873 | -23.5% | -32.3% |
| Kuier | F | 75 | 48,634 | 5.1% | -11.1% |
| Rooi Rose Magazine | Mtly | 9,064 | 29,199 | -0.3% | 0.5% |
| Sarie | AltM | 2,917 | 56,511 | 1.5% | -4.3% |
| True Love | AltM | 1,504 | 11,837 | -6.3% | 41.2% |
| Women & Home Magazine | Mtly | 5,690 | 22,150 | 0.2% | -26.4% |
| Women's Health | 6xA | 0 | No Issue | New Member | |
| Woman's Special | |||||
| Bruidsgids | Ann | 0 | 6,370 | New Member | |
B2B magazines
As is so often the case, the B2B category is a highlight.
Q4 saw the Health and Well-being sector with some good gains on the previous quarter and prior year, with three publications increasing on the previous quarter and three on the prior year.
Modern Medicine Magazine was the best of the lot - and also the best overall in the B2B magazines category – with double-figure increases on the previous quarter and prior year.
The Retail category disappointed once again - with DIY & Industrial Trade News declining with double figures on the previous quarter and the prior year. It was also the worst performer in the B2B Magazine category.
On the upside, 10 publications increased their circulation on the previous quarter and the prior year in this category.
| Agricultural | |||||
| Publication | Frequency | Free circulation | Total circulation | % change quarter | % change year |
| OVK Nuus/News | 4xA | 4,705 | 4,705 | -1.1% | -1.1% |
| SA Graan / Grain | Mtly | 21,038 | 21,038 | 0.3% | -1.4% |
| Stockfarm | Mtly | 5,783 | 9,781 | -4.8% | 59.2% |
| Veeplaas | Mtly | 5,787 | 9,497 | -7.6% | 34.9% |
| Wineland | Mtly | 3,106 | 3,173 | -0.2% | -0.6% |
| Architecture | |||||
| Leading Architect & Design | AltM | 5,668 | 5,703 | -1.9% | -16.9% |
| SA Building Review | Ann | 0 | No Issue | ||
| To Build | 4xA | 8,444 | 9,795 | -0.1% | -0.3% |
| Civil Construction | |||||
| Construction World | Mtly | 17,364 | 17,364 | 1.0% | 5.2% |
| IMIESA | 11xA | 12,498 | 12,498 | Changed Publisher | 3.1% |
| Spec Handbooks | Ann | 0 | No Issue | No Issue | |
| Communications | |||||
| Future SA | 4xA | 0 | No Issue | ||
| SA Profile | Ann | 0 | No Issue | ||
| Service | Q | 0 | No Issue | ||
| Electrical Engineering | |||||
| Electricity & Control | Mtly | 12,578 | 12,578 | -9.4% | -6.2% |
| ESI Africa | Q | 4,860 | 4,860 | 1.8% | 48.0% |
| Sparks Electrical News | Mtly | 15,119 | 15,119 | 1.3% | 6.7% |
| Engineering - Other | |||||
| Capital Equipment News | Mtly | 13,818 | 13,818 | 0.8% | 8.2% |
| Dataweek | Mtly | 2,785 | 2,785 | -4.5% | -0.3% |
| MechChem Africa | AltM | 10,846 | 10,846 | 1.3% | 10.4% |
| Motion Control | Q | 1,854 | 1,854 | -8.3% | -11.4% |
| Plumbing Africa | Mtly | 13,171 | 13,228 | -2.0% | 21.8% |
| Refrigeration and Airconditioning | Mtly | 8,004 | 8,014 | -0.9% | 14.6% |
| SA Instrumentation & Control | Mtly | 4,046 | 4,046 | -3.7% | -5.1% |
| Water & Sanitation Africa | AltM | 0 | No Issue | Changed Publisher | |
| Health and Wellbeing | |||||
| Hi-Tech Security Solutions | 8xA | 3,886 | 3,886 | 0.9% | -8.2% |
| Medical Chronicle | 11xA | 27,822 | 27,822 | -1.2% | 3.7% |
| MIMS | Mtly | 112 | 1,495 | -54.2% | -17.0% |
| Modern Medicine Magazine | AltM | 3,551 | 4,013 | 15.9% | 16.8% |
| South African Pharmaceutical & Cosmetic Review | 11xA | 2,974 | 2,979 | -0.3% | -0.4% |
| The Specialist Forum Journal | 11xA | 23,610 | 23,610 | 4.6% | 8.1% |
| Hospitality, Catering and Tourism | |||||
| Meetings | AltM | 0 | Resigned | No Issue | |
| The Meetings & Event Planner (former SA Conference Directory) | Ann | 0 | Resigned | Changed Publisher | |
| Industry | |||||
| Analytical Reporter | AltM | 5,046 | 5,046 | -1.1% | -8.7% |
| Cold Link Africa | AltM | 3,614 | 3,619 | 5.1% | -13.4% |
| Free State Business, | Ann | 4,961 | 4,961 | No Issue | -0.1% |
| Gauteng Companies | Ann | 0 | No Issue | ||
| Lighting in Design | Q | 7,826 | 7,826 | 0.6% | 9.2% |
| Limpopo Business. | Ann | 4,943 | 4,943 | No Issue | |
| Mpumalanga Business. | Ann | 4,955 | 4,955 | No Issue | |
| Opportunity (Exploring Business Prospects in SA) | Q | 4,933 | 4,933 | No Issue | 0.2% |
| Resource | Q | 0 | Changed Publisher | ||
| South African Business | 2xA | 7,431 | 7,431 | No Issue | -25.2% |
| South African Food Review | 11xA | 3,809 | 3,831 | -0.2% | 31.9% |
| The Journal of African Business | Q | 4,952 | 4,952 | -0.2% | -0.2% |
| Western Cape Business | Ann | 4,939 | 4,939 | No Issue | -0.2% |
| Information and Computer Technology | |||||
| Brainstorm | 11xA | 4,495 | 8,247 | -10.8% | -10.1% |
| Management | |||||
| African Decisions | Q | 10,989 | 12,819 | 6.5% | 5.8% |
| Black Business Quarterly | Q | 35,490 | 35,654 | -8.3% | -4.4% |
| Blue Chip | Q | 7,447 | 7,447 | No Issue | -58.7% |
| Business Day Earth | Ann | 1,550 | 8,850 | No Issue | -55.3% |
| Business Day Empowerment | Ann | 2,550 | 10,850 | No Issue | -45.2% |
| FA News | AltM | 2,742 | 2,911 | 0.5% | -0.3% |
| KZN Invest | Q | 0 | Discontinued | ||
| Leadership | Mtly | 36,489 | 36,681 | -3.6% | -7.9% |
| Money Marketing | Mtly | 6,661 | 6,662 | 2.0% | -10.4% |
| South African Business Intergrator | 2xA | 8,663 | 9,721 | -1.3% | -0.9% |
| Mining & Quarrying | |||||
| African Mines Handbook | Ann | 1,446 | 1,990 | No Issue | 0.5% |
| African Mining Inc. Mining Mirror | 11xA | 28,047 | 28,108 | -3.6% | 33.2% |
| Earthbroker | Mtly | 5,382 | 5,382 | ||
| Engineering News & Mining Weekly | Wkly, Fr | 12,224 | 14,736 | 0.3% | 16.1% |
| Inside Mining | Q | 0 | Discontinued | ||
| Mining Review Africa. | 11xA | 4,816 | 4,816 | 3.0% | 3.3% |
| Modern Mining | Mtly | 14,533 | 14,533 | -1.0% | 6.6% |
| Modern Quarrying | Q | 7,042 | 7,042 | 0.7% | 8.7% |
| Retail | |||||
| DIY And Industrial Trade News | Mtly | 8,954 | 8,954 | -11.3% | -12.8% |
| Pharmacy Magazine (former Frontshop) | Mtly | 18,597 | 18,597 | -1.5% | 17.7% |
| Transport and Logistics | |||||
| Freight News Features | Mtly | 5,888 | 6,094 | 5.4% | -1.0% |
Custom magazines
Of the 12 sectors in this category, 10 had at least one publication showing an increase on the previous sector, while 11 of the 12 had at least one publication with an increase on the prior year.
Both publications in the Leisure sector had increased on the previous quarter.
In-Flight Magazine continued with the good growth it had seen in Q3 with good increases on the previous quarter and the prior year.
SA Pharmaceutical Journal had the best increase on the prior year.
| Farming | |||||
| Publication | Frequency | Free circulation | Total circulation | % change quarter | % change year |
| Dairy Mail, The. | Mtly | 1,368 | 1,373 | 3.5% | 18.3% |
| Health & Wellbeing | |||||
| SA Pharmaceutical Journal | 10xA | 6,795 | 6,795 | No Issue | 59.7% |
| South African Medical Journal | Mtly | 8,689 | 8,867 | 0.6% | 1.6% |
| Home | |||||
| Fresh Living | Q | 0 | Resigned | ||
| Living Space | Mtly | 224 | 36,915 | -5.4% | -2.4% |
| My Kitchen | Mtly | 740 | 85,328 | 3.2% | 13.9% |
| Industry Specific | |||||
| Forum Tydskrif | Q | 0 | Resigned | ||
| J S E | Q | 12,932 | 14,447 | -0.3% | 1.5% |
| Sea Rescue | 3xA | 15,339 | 15,339 | -9.5% | -14.1% |
| Servamus | Mtly | 52 | 6,905 | -3.6% | -15.2% |
| In-flight | |||||
| In Flight Magazine | Mtly | 41,653 | 41,653 | 8.2% | 28.3% |
| Leisure | |||||
| Private Edition | Q | 9,380 | 9,380 | 0.1% | 1.5% |
| Taste. | AltM | 5,684 | 34,513 | 4.0% | -0.1% |
| Male | |||||
| Man | Mtly | 500 | 63,751 | 1.2% | 12.0% |
| Tech | Mtly | 200 | 28,877 | -11.6% | -10.6% |
| Retail | |||||
| Club Magazine | Mtly | 7,000 | 241,055 | -3.7% | -10.5% |
| Jet Club | 7xA | 0 | 279,531 | No Submission | 20.0% |
| Sport and Hobby | |||||
| Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag | Mtly | 66,788 | 68,022 | -0.4% | -0.1% |
| SA Hunter/Jagter | 8xA | 0 | Resigned | ||
| SoccerClub | Mtly | 700 | 54,210 | 2.3% | 11.8% |
| SportsClub | Mtly | 700 | 102,873 | -1.9% | 5.7% |
| Travel, Tourism & Hospitality | |||||
| Premier | Mtly | 8,405 | 8,405 | 5.9% | 0.4% |
| Rove SA | 4xA | 8,412 | 9,778 | -4.1% | 6.2% |
| Woman's General | |||||
| Balanced Life | Mtly | 300 | 44,537 | -7.7% | -10.4% |
| Youth | |||||
| ClubX | Mtly | 433 | 104,748 | 0.1% | 3.4% |
| Kids Super Club | Mtly | 490 | 69,238 | -2.9% | -1.4% |
Free magazines
As in Q3, this category had good results, with four of the nine publications showing increases on the previous quarter and four increasing on the prior year.
| Publication | Frequency | Total circulation | % change quarter | % change year |
| Botswana Advertiser. | F | 99,965 | ||
| Get It (Ballito to Umhlanga) | Mtly | 12,294 | 2.6% | 2.8% |
| Get It (Bloemfontein) | Mtly | 6,890 | ||
| Get It (Highway) | Mtly | 11,878 | 0.6% | |
| Get It (Jo'burg South) | Mtly | 14,750 | ||
| Get It (Jo'burg West) | Mtly | 13,805 | 0.1% | 4.0% |
| Get It (Lowveld) | Mtly | 6,200 | ||
| Get It (Northern Suburbs Joburg) | Mtly | 14,781 | 0.8% | 0.2% |
| Get It (Pretoria) | Mtly | 14,653 | 0.3% |
About Danette Breitenbach
Danette Breitenbach is a marketing & media editor at Bizcommunity.com. Previously she freelanced in the marketing and media sector, including for Bizcommunity. She was editor and publisher of AdVantage, the publication that served the marketing, media and advertising industry in southern Africa. She has worked extensively in print media, mainly B2B. She has a Masters in Financial Journalism from Wits.
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