Magazines ABC Q2 2021: Lift off for magazines

This was the sentiment of the ABC in a statement following the release of its Q2 results. “The latest ABC results show magazines are up by 11% for the same period. Compared to the numbers in Q4 2020 – Magazines are up 4%,” says the ABC. Categories, specifically travel titles, that previously took a beating also seem to be making a slow comeback.

The Bureau says that this is despite an incredibly depressed economy suffering from looting, junk status, and the effects of extended periods of Covid-lockdowns.

To overcome this, some titles have decreased their frequency with a focus on fewer but more editorially packed titles, while smaller titles have moved to new publishers that have revitalised these titles, shaping the good news story for magazines.

“Time will tell whether the magazine industry - and print industry in general - has progressed beyond the cycle’s bottom and can now anticipate growth, added the ABC.

Consumer magazines

Only three sectors in this category had three or more titles show good gains on the previous quarter. Once again, the Business and News sector was strong as in Q1 with three titles with good gains: SA Real Estate Investor Magazine, Forbes and Finweek.

The Home sector had four titles make gains, while Women’s General had three. However, the gains of the titles in Business and News were greater than the Home titles. Tuis was the best in the Home sector with a 10.9% increase. In the Business and News sector, SA Real Estate Investor Magazine showed a 55.7% increased, and in the Women’s General sector Fair Lady had a 22.9% increase.

The Entertainment, Leisure, Male, Parenting and Conservation and Wildlife sectors had no gains, only losses or no gain no loss (0.0%). The Women’s Special sector had no activity.

B2B magazines

It was a mixed bag for the B2B category, with gains and losses over the previous quarter as well as a number of no gains, no losses in with sprinklings of no submissions and resignation. However, 12 publications saw excellent increases over the previous quarter. The Industry section had three titles show gains - Cold Link Africa (138.7%), Industrial Buyer (27.9%) and Resource (96.1%). All these titles also had gains on the prior year.

In the Communications category The Gapp Magazine increased by 436.7% and Nex Media by 33.4%. Both also increased on the prior year. The former Frontshop, now Pharmacy Magazine, was once again the best in the Retail Category (as in Q1) with a 49.2% increase over the previous quarter and a 208.4% on the prior year. It was one of many titles that increased both on the previous quarter and year, including SA Graan/Grain, Leading Architecture & Design, Water & Sanitation Africa, Medical Chronicle, and SA Affordable Housing.

Sabi Magazine (-61.6%), Northern Cape Business (-48.6%) and Eastern Cape Business (48.5%) were some of the biggest decreases on the previous quarter. DIY And Industrial Trade News decreased on the previous quarter reversing its good gains in Q1.

Custom magazines

Despite being a large category, the pickings were slim in the Custom Magazines category with only seven publications showing positive increases on the previous quarter. Skyways continued to soar, following good performances in Q4 2020 and Q1 2021 with a 15.7% increase on the previous quarter. Clicks Club Card had a 9.1% increase, followed by Club X, Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag, Accountancy, Man and SA Pharmacist’s Assistant all showing gains under 10%.

Game& Hunt/Wild & Jag also increased on the prior year (8.5%). Taste also increased on the prior year (10.2%), but despite this and its gain in the Q1, it saw a decrease of 13.1% on the previous quarter.

The biggest losses were in the Farming section, with all three titles showing decreases. Dairy Mail, The with the biggest decrease of -25.4% followed by Rooi Vleis/Red Meat with -20.7% and Wolboer/Wool Farmer a -3.1%.

Free magazines

The smallest category under Magazines had only one title show an increase over the previous quarter, with three titles having no increase or decrease. Get It (Jo'burg West) had a half a percent increase on the previous quarter. The losses, however, were slight for the rest of the category, ranging from -0.1% to -0.7%.

Of the four titles that submit data for the year, three had increases in the prior year. Get It (Bloemfontein), Get It (Jo'burg South), and Get It (Jo'burg West) all increased, with only Get It (Northern Suburbs Joburg) showing a decrease.