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ABC Q4 2023: Newspapers: Stable with marginal declines

By Danette Breitenbach

21 Feb 2024

Newspaper circulation is stable despite a 5.7% year-on-year decline, and Q4 experiences a marginal drop of -1.5% compared to Q3, culminating in a combined circulation of 6,223,225.

Image: Bizcommunity, Lesley Svenson. Newspaper circulation is showing stability despite a 5.7% year-on-year decline, while Q4 experienced a marginal drop of -1.5% compared to Q3 says the ABC

This is according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) of South Africa, which released its audited circulation figures for the period October 2023 to December 2023 for the newspaper category today, Wednesday, February 21, 2024.

The ABC says this trend aligns with a five percent annual decrease in its membership. “The collective circulation of all members shows a year-on-year decline of 7.4%. This corresponds with ABC's membership, which decreased by 10%, dropping from 448 in 2022 to 403 by the fourth quarter of 2023,” says the ABC statement.

Quarter-on-quarter, ABC membership decreased slightly from 405 to 403 in total, while year-on-year total membership declined from 448 to 403. Newspaper membership saw a decrease of two members.

Image: Bizcommunity., Lesley Svenson. The ABC audited circulation figures show a significant annual decline of 12% for the magazine sector

ABC Q4 2023: Magazines: Sporting events fuel growth despite overall magazine circulation decline

Danette Breitenbach 21 Feb 2024

Daily newspapers

As in Q3 this category again had slim pickings, exhibiting sharper declines, in this quarter.

Of the 20 Dailies, only two, Die Daily Burger and The Witness had an increase on the previous quarter. No Daily showed an increase on the prior year.

Daily Sun, last quarter’s biggest loser, has changed sector.

Publication	Frequency	Paid circulation	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Daily Nation	MD, Mo-Sat	56,064		56,064	-8.3%	-11.3%
Burger, Die Daily	MD, Mo-Fr	25,460	650	26,110	0.7%	-6.2%
Bukedde	MD, Mo-Sat	19,009		19,009	-6.8%	-9.5%
Beeld, Daily	MD, Mo-Fr	18,473	541	19,014	-3.8%	-9.3%
Isolezwe	MD, Mo-Fr	17,994	1,028	19,022	-9.5%	-29.6%
New Vision	MD, Mo-Fr	15,553	50	15,603	-5.9%	-8.9%
Sowetan	Mo-Fr	15,017	2,856	17,873	-24.2%	-28.1%
Citizen, The (Daily)	MD, Mo-Fr	13,548	9,366	22,914	-4.3%	-6.3%
Daily Sun	Mo-Fr	12,424	192	12,616	-14.5%	-55.0%
Times of Swaziland	MD, Mo-Fr	11,840		11,840	0%	-14.3%
Business Day	MD, Mo-Fr	11,835	1,770	13,605	-3.7%	-5.6%
Daily Dispatch	MD, Mo-Fr	9,502	589	10,091	-7.4%	-7.3%
Herald, The	MD, Mo-Fr	9,188	833	10,021	-1.1%	-3.5%
Star, The	MD, Mo-Fr	8,934	8,900	17,834	-6.6%	-34.6%
Mercury, The	MD, Mo-Fr	5,984	3,085	9,069	-4.5%	-17.5%
Cape Times	MD, Mo-Fr	5,318	3,876	9,194	-9.4%	-18.7%
Witness, The	MD, Mo-Fr	5,103	1,210	6,313	0.2%	-1.4%
Cape Argus	MD, Mo-Fr	4,637	3,934	8,571	-14.0%	-18.1%
Daily News	MD, Mo-Fr	4,243	2,923	7,166	-2.9%	-19.6%
Son (Daily)	MD, Mo-Fr	Changed Sector

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Weekly newspapers

Again, for this category in this quarter Daily Maverick is the only winner, continuing its increase gains from the previous three quarters to gains in Q4 on the previous quarter and the previous year.

All the other newspapers in the category show decreases with Soccer Laduma in double-figure decreases on the previous quarter and the prior year.

Publication	Frequency	Paid circulation	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Soccer Laduma	Wkly, Wed	48,186	2	48,188	-19.8%	-27.3%
Ilanga	2xW, Mo&Th	24,591		24,591	-9.5%	-26.2%
SON Weekly	Wkly, Th	19,580	49	19,629	-3.7%
Post, The	Wkly, Wed	12,418	3,348	15,766	-2.5%	-15.5%
Daily Maverick,	Wkly, Sat	9,093	1,236	10,329	2.9%	15.7%
Mail & Guardian	Wkly, Fr	7,667		7,667	-3.1%	-9.8%
Lesotho Times	Wkly, Th	6,629	283	6,912	-12.5%	7.9%
Voice, The	Wkly, Fr	6,406		6,406	-8.6%	-10.1%

The ABC Q3 2023 newspaper category circulations have been released (Image credit: Lesley Svenson)

ABC Q3 2023: Newspaper category stabilises

Danette Breitenbach 21 Nov 2023

Weekend newspapers

There was not much weekend cheer in this category. While in Q3 there had been six newspapers show an increase on the previous quarter, in Q4 only Burger, Die Saturday shows an increase on the previous quarter.

Ilanga Lempela Sonto and Weekend Witness are the only two newspapers to show an increase on the prior year.

Sunday Times is the biggest loser with double-figure decreases on the previous quarter and the prior year.

Publication	Frequency	Paid circulation	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Sunday Times	Wknd	58,593	3,609	62,202	-27.9%	-42.9%
Sunday Nation	Wkly, Sun	58,580		58,580	-8.1%	-13.6%
Rapport	Wknd	57,333	139	57,472	-2.3%	-9.3%
Burger, Die Saturday	Wkly, Sat	33,945	639	34,584	1.2%	-6.5%
Beeld, Saturday	Wkly, Sat	22,796	222	23,018	-2.8%	-10.1%
Isolezwe ngeMpelaSonto	Wknd	20,808	2	20,810	-8.7%	-6.3%
Ilanga LempelaSonto	Wknd	16,064		16,064	-9.0%	3.2%
Sunday Tribune	Wkly, Sun	12,966	3,730	16,696	-3.2%	-14.0%
City Press	Wknd	12,358	332	12,690	-9.0%	-22.1%
Sunday World	Wknd	12,345	2,681	15,026	-17.8%	-36.6%
Sunday Vision	Wkly, Sun	10,250	50	10,300	-22.2%	-6.4%
Citizen, The (Saturday)	Wkly, Sat	7,985	62	8,047	-11.0%	-14.6%
Independent on Saturday	Wkly, Sat	7,638	3,482	11,120	-2.5%	-14.9%
Weekend Post	Wknd	6,877	377	7,254	-14.5%	-10.1%
Daily Dispatch Weekend Edition (formerly Saturday Dispatch)	Wknd	6,694	261	6,955	-10.8%	-18.4%
Weekend Argus	Wknd	5,272	3,951	9,223	-2.8%	-25.9%
Weekend Witness	Wkly, Sat	4,563	1,231	5,794	-1.0%	1.5%
Saturday Star, The	Wkly, Sat	3,470	3,400	6,870	-6.6%	-16.3%
Isolezwe ngeSonto	Wkly, Sun	Rebranded

Local newspapers

As so often in past quarters, local newspapers are a highlight.

Five local newspapers show an increase on the previous quarter as well as on the previous year.

The best performer is the Middelburg Observer, Fri with an increase of over five percent on the previous quarter. It was also the best performer on the prior year with an increase of over six percent.

Publication	Frequency	Paid circulation	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Witbank News, Fri	Wkly, Fr	20,217		20,217	4.9%	2.9%
Middelburg Observer, Fri	Wkly, Fr	17,917		17,917	5.7%	6.1%
African Reporter	Wkly, Fr	13,472		13,472	-2.5%	5.8%
George Herald (Thursday)	Wkly, Th	8,426		8,426	-2.3%	-9.4%
Mpumalanga News	Wkly, Wed	7,347		7,347	1.7%	2.5%
Paarl Post	Wkly, Th	5,372	78	5,450	-10.3%	-21.2%
Zululand Observer Weekend (Formerly Friday)	Wkly, Fr	4,211	490	4,701	-6.1%	-12.3%
Weslander, The	Wkly, Th	4,112	194	4,306	-11.3%	-19.9%
Limpopo Mirror	Wkly, Fr	3,648		3,648	-6.4%	-21.6%
Mosselbay Advertiser	Wkly, Fr	3,608		3,608	-1.7%	-15.9%
Vaalweekblad	Wkly, Th	2,867		2,867	-2.9%	-7.7%
Zululand Observer Monday	Wkly, Mon	2,129	320	2,449	-9.4%	-11.3%
South Cape Forum/Suid Kaap Forum	Wkly, Th	1,381		1,381	-5.5%	-17.7%
Knysna Plett Herald	Wkly, Th	1,047		1,047	-6.0%	-10.7%
Talk of the Town	Wkly, Fr	1,031		1,031	3.8%	-24.5%
Oudtshoorn Courant	Wkly, Fr	849		849	-2.2%	1.7%
Streeknuus	Wkly, Fr	829		829	1.7%	-17.6%
Graaff Reinet Advertiser	Wkly, Th	676		676	-16.6%	-9.0%
Worcester Standard	Wkly, Th	Rebranded
Bosvelder Review	Wkly, Fr	Changed Sector
Daller, Die	Wkly, Fr	Changed Sector

Free newspapers

The largest category, Free Newspapers distribution shows pockets of increases, the best of which is over three percent, for Bosvelder Review and Weskus Nuus.

The other increases on the previous quarter are incremental, but so are the decreases, with most newspapers holding steady.

The exception is Diamond Fields Advertiser which showed a big decline on the previous quarter and the prior year.

For the prior year, the picture looks much the same, with incremental increases and decreases in general. There are a few exceptions.

Soweto Urban News continued its good fortunes from Q3 with an increase of over nine percent on the prior year, as did Tygerburger Durbanville which had an increase of over eight percent.

North Coast Courier and Express had double figure increases.

On the flip side, Peoples Post Mitchells Plain had a double figure decrease. Tygerburger Kraaifontein had a decrease just under 10%

Publication	Frequency	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Vuk'uzenzele	Mtly	849,950
PE Express	Wkly, Wed	119,995
Soweto Urban News	Wkly, Th	109,100		9.1%
Sedibeng Ster	Wkly, Th	90,980
Plainsman	Wkly, Wed	89,536
City Vision	Wkly, Th	85,000
Rekord East/Oos	Wkly, Tue	78,955	0.5%	0.2%
Vukani	Wkly, Wed	78,056
Mthatha Express	Wkly, Wed	69,995
Tabletalk	Wkly, Wed	67,844
Merebank & Chatsworth Tabloid	Wkly, Wed	64,980
North Coast Rising Sun	Wkly, Wed	64,860
Randburg Sun	Wkly, Th	60,104	-0.3%	0.2%
Rekord Centurion	Wkly, Wed	59,819	-0.3%	-0.2%
Phoenix Tabloid	Wkly, Tue	55,980
Athlone News	Wkly, Wed	54,151
Highway Mail	Wkly, Fr	54,013	0.1%	0.3%
Kathorus Mail	F	53,496	-0.9%	-1.0%
The Springfield Weekly Gazette	Wkly, Th	53,480		1.9%
Chatsworth Rising Sun	Wkly, Tue	53,050
Sandton Chronicle	Wkly, Wed	49,988	-0.1%	0.5%
Southern Mail	Wkly, Wed	48,853
Thembisan	F	48,825	-1.3%	0.5%
Kempton Express	Wkly, Th	48,660	-0.2%	-0.7%
Southern Suburbs Tatler	Wkly, Wed	47,238
Roodepoort Record	Wkly, Th	46,482		-0.4%
Bloemfontein Courant (formerly Krant)	Wkly, Th	44,890
Overport Rising Sun	Wkly, Th	44,850
Bedfordview & Edenvale News	Wkly, Wed	44,618	0.4%	-0.7%
Boksburg Advertiser	Wkly, Tue	43,130	-0.2%	0.2%
Ster, South	Wkly, Tue	41,460
Bloemnuus	Wkly, Th	41,095	-0.2%	-2.3%
Rosebank Killarney Gazette	Wkly, Tue	41,095	0.2%	0.5%
Ethekwini Times	Wkly, Fr	40,980
Umlazi Times	Wkly, Th	40,980
People s Post Mitchells Plain	Wkly, Tue	40,000		-20.0%
Rekord North/Noord	Wkly, Th	39,973	0.1%
Echo Eyethu	Wkly, Th	39,948
Benoni City Times	Wkly, Th	38,756	1.7%	1.8%
Alberton Record	Wkly, Wed	37,616	0.1%	0.1%
Helderberg Gazette & District Mail	Wkly, Wed	36,926	0.3%	-0.6%
Fourways Review	Wkly, Wed	36,715	-0.1%	-0.2%
Go & Express	Wkly, Th	36,693	-1.6%	-1.6%
Noordkaap Bulletin	Wkly, Th	35,284		-0.1%
Vista	Wkly, Th	35,266	0.1%
Tongaat & Verulam Tabloid (former Northern Star)	Wkly, Tue	34,980
North Coast Courier	Wkly, Wed	34,940	4.9%	16.9%
South Coast Fever	Wkly, Th	34,500	-0.9%	-1.1%
Ridge Times	Wkly, Tue	34,400
Rekord Moot	Wkly, Th	33,570		0.2%
Ster, North	Wkly, Tue	32,760
Constantiaberg Bulletin	Wkly, Wed	31,316
Tygerburger Elsies-, Eersterivier & Ravensmead	Wkly, Wed	31,021
False Bay Echo	Wkly, Wed	30,879
Northcliff & Melville Times	Wkly, Tue	30,799	-0.5%	0.7%
Atlantic Sun	Wkly, Wed	30,794
Eyethu Bay Watch (Formerly Baywatch)	Wkly, Wed	30,470		1.3%
Bolander	Wkly, Wed	30,461
Tygerburger Table View	Wkly, Wed	30,079	0.1%
Express	Wkly, Wed	30,055	0.1%	-11.8%
Diamond Fields Advertiser	Wkly, Fr	30,000	-25.0%	-25.0%
Standard Breederivier Gazette	Wkly, Th	29,985
Dolphin Coast Mail	Wkly, Wed	29,960
East Coast Mail	Wkly, Wed	29,960
Maritzburg Sun	Wkly, Wed	29,956
Public Eye	Wkly, Th	29,952
Rekord Mamelodi	Wkly, Fr	29,950	0.2%	0.8%
Rising Sun Lenasia	Wkly, Wed	29,925
Issue Mangaung	Wkly, Wed	29,900
Umlazi Eyethu	Wkly, Fr	29,881
Germiston City News	Wkly, Tue	29,807	-0.3%	0.1%
Polokwane Observer.	Wkly, Th	29,760		3.0%
Rekord Noweto	F	28,950	1.1%
Midrand Reporter	Wkly, Th	28,329	-0.2%	0.5%
People s Post Athlone & Landsdowne	Wkly, Tue	28,000
UD Express	Wkly, Wed	27,687	-7.7%	-7.7%
Northglen News	Wkly, Fr	27,450	-0.1%	0.3%
Berea Mail	Wkly, Fr	27,142		0.3%
Roodepoort Northsider (FormerlyNorthside Chronicle	Wkly, Th	26,528	-0.5%	-0.6%
Krugersdorp News	Wkly, Wed	26,471		0.5%
Springs Advertiser	Wkly, Th	25,954	-0.2%	0.1%
Southern Courier	Wkly, Tue	25,381	0.2%
People s Post Woodstock & City	Wkly, Tue	25,000
People s Post Grassy Park & Retreat	Wkly, Tue	25,000
Eikestadnuus.	Wkly, Th	23,897	-0.2%	-0.3%
Intshonalanga Eyethu	Wkly, Fr	23,780
Tygerburger Durbanville	Wkly, Wed	22,082	0.3%	8.8%
People s Post False Bay	Wkly, Tue	22,000
Xpress Times	Wkly, Wed	21,980
Issue, Eastern Free State	Wkly, Th	21,900
Comaro Chronicle	Wkly, Wed	20,854	-0.4%
Hermanus Times.	Wkly, Wed	20,834	0.2%	0.2%
Rekord West News/Wes Nuus	F	20,215	0.1%	0.1%
Isolezwe IesiXhosa	Wkly, Th	20,000
People s Post Claremont/Rondebosch	Wkly, Tue	20,000
People s Post Constantia/Wynberg	Wkly, Tue	20,000
Kouga Express	Wkly, Th	19,995
Heidelberg/Nigel Heraut	Wkly, Wed	19,980		1.9%
Bonus Review	Wkly, Wed	19,880		-0.1%
South Coast Sun	Wkly, Fr	19,866	0.1%	0.3%
Swartland Gazette (formerly Swartland Monitor).	Wkly, Tue	19,860	2.7%	2.5%
Merebank Rising Sun	Wkly, Tue	19,850
Mid South Coast Rising Sun	Wkly, Tue	19,850
UGU Eyethu	Wkly, Wed	19,850		-0.3%
Tygerburger Bellville	Wkly, Wed	19,414	0.5%	0.6%
Brakpan Herald	Wkly, Fr	19,156	-0.4%	0.4%
Tygerburger Kuilsrivier	Wkly, Wed	19,077
Representative	Wkly, Mon	18,684	-4.9%	-5.2%
Rekord Central/Sentraal	F	18,500	0.1%
Randfontein / Westonaria Herald.	Wkly, Tue	18,256	0.1%	1.0%
Tygerburger Brackenfell	Wkly, Wed	18,238		-0.1%
TygerBurger De Grendel	Wkly, Wed	18,114		-0.1%
Southlands Sun	Wkly, Fr	17,752		0.1%
Steelburger	Wkly, Th	17,700
TygerBurger Tyger Valley	Wkly, Wed	17,088
Tygerburger Milnerton	Wkly, Wed	17,068	0.1%	0.1%
Potchefstroom Herald.	Wkly, Fr	16,930
Northern Eyethu	Mtly	15,888		0.2%
Weskus Nuus	F	15,505	3.4%	3.4%
Tygerburger Kraaifontein	Wkly, Wed	15,393	0.2%	-9.9%
Alex News	F	14,782	-0.1%	-0.1%
Tygerburger Goodwood	Wkly, Wed	14,072	0.1%
Tygerburger Parow	Wkly, Wed	14,070	0.1%
Queensburgh News	F	13,002	0.5%	0.6%
Vrystaat Kroon	F	12,443	-0.3%	0.7%
Carletonville Herald.	Wkly, Fr	11,990		0.7%
Zululand Eyethu (formerly Eshowe Watch)	Mtly	11,972		1.0%
Village Talk	Wkly, Wed	11,946
Highvelder, The	Wkly, Fr	11,760
Herrie	Wkly, Th	11,136	1.0%	-11.6%
Daily Sun On the GO - EC	Wkly, Th	10,995
Uthukela Eyethu	Wkly, Th	9,985	0.2%	3.3%
Greytown Gazette	Wkly, Mon	9,980
Hazyview Herald	F	9,795
Corridor Gazette	F	9,710
Daily Sun On the GO - FS	Wkly, Th	7,995
Ystervark	Wkly, Th	7,925
Parys Gazette	Wkly, Fr	7,480
Sentinel News	Wkly, Wed	7,145
Daily Sun On the GO - KZN	Wkly, Th	5,995
Capricorn Voice ..	Q	5,883	0.1%	2.8%
Daily Sun On the GO - WC	Wkly, Th	4,995
The Hilton	Mtly	4,960
Free State Sun	Wkly, Th	4,937		3.9%
Northern Review Weekend	Wkly, Fr	4,836		2.0%
Standerton Advertiser.	Wkly, Tue	4,750
Mpumalanga Mirror	F	3,000	0.3%
Bosvelder Review	Wkly, Th	2,832	3.5%
Estcourt	Wkly, Tue	2,420
Maluti News	Wkly, Fr	1,595		-36.1%
IDISKI TIMES	Wkly, Tue	Terminated
Inner City Gazette	Wkly, Th	Resigned
YOUReThekwini	Mtly	Resigned
Breederivier Gazette.	Wkly, Wed	Rebranded
City Vision (Khayalitsha)	Wkly, Th	Rebranded
City Vision (Langa/Gugulethu)	Wkly, Th	Rebranded
City Vision (Lwandle / Nomzamo) former Kasi Vision Helderberg	Wkly, Th	Rebranded
Maritzburg Echo	Wkly, Th	Rebranded
Msunduzi Eyethu (former Edendale)	Wkly, Th	Rebranded
Tygerburger Eersterivier/Blue Downs	Wkly, Wed	Rebranded
Tygerburger Elsiesrivier & Ravensmead	Wkly, Wed	Rebranded
Coastal Weekly	Wkly, Th	Ceased Publishing
Stanger Weekly	Wkly, Wed	Ceased Publishing
Umgungundlovu Eyethu (former Umngeni)	F	Ceased Publishing

(Tables by Andre Rademan)

Danette Breitenbach

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.