by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released newspaper-circulation statistics for the period April–June 2017 (ABC Q2 2017); see our magazine Abc Analysis here.

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

Daily newspaper circulation fell to 1 163 265 from 1 278 157 during the previous corresponding reporting period (Q2 2016); pdf replica editions totalled 6 828, while single-copy sales came in at 856 639. Circulation at the weeklies fell, too — total circulation declined to 473 112 from 514 592; weekend newspapers declined to 1 397 409 from 1 580 602; and local papers dropped to 335 832 from 365 612. Free sheets fell to 6 212 813, from 6 315 420.

ABC member circulation totals

• Daily newspapers: down to 1 163 265, compared to 1 278 157 for the previous corresponding period
• Weekly papers: down to 473 112 from 514 592
• Weekend papers: down to 1 397 409 from 1 580 602
• Local papers: down to 335 832 from 365 612
• Free papers: down to 6 212 813 from 6 315 420

Daily papers

In Gauteng, Pretoria News has declined to 13 773 from 14 649 (sales below 50% of retail cost = declined to 2 711). Beeld has fallen to 39 961 from 45 145 in the previous corresponding reporting period. The Star  is down to 80 345 from 86 643 (sales below 50% = 11 440). Sowetan is down to 73 610 from 88 741.

In the Cape, Die Burger (Eastern and Western Cape editions) has declined to 47 673 from 50 276. The Cape Argus has decreased to 29 038 from 30 265 [3 288 to Print Media in Education (PMIE)], while the Cape Times has also declined to 30 963 from 31 342 (2 755 copies go to PMIE). Son has fallen to 72 057 from 77 473.

In the Eastern Cape, Daily Dispatch has fallen to 18 791 from 22 451, and The Herald to 18 841 from 20 777.

In KwaZulu-Natal, The Mercury has declined to 26 361 from 26 746, and the Daily News is down to 23 559 from 25 373 (963 = sales below 50%). The Witness has declined to 13 118 from 14 142.

Business Day has declined to 20 056 from 24 508, The Citizen to 44 147 from 47 373 (single copy sales: 28 653), and Daily Sun to 164 923 from 194 506. Isolezwe has fallen to 85 491 from 94 581. The Times is down to 48 096 from 63 954 (when will the slashing stop?).

Volksblad has declined to 14 701 from 16 230. Diamond Fields Advertiser is down to 7 917 from 8 373.

The MarkLives Big Daily Newspaper List*

1. Daily Sun: 164 923
2. Isolezwe: 85 491
3. The Star: 80 345
4. Sowetan: 73 610
5. Son: 72 057
6. The Times: 48 096
7. Die Burger: 47 673
8. The Citizen: 44 147
9. Beeld: 39 961
10. The Cape Times: 30 963

Weekly & weekend papers

Pretoria News Saturday has inched up to 8 467 from 8 404 (sales below 50% of cover price: 1 600), while Independent on Saturday has risen slightly to 37 283 from 37 172 (sales below 50% of cover price:3 500). The Weekend Argus (Saturday & Sunday editions) has declined to 52 450 from 53 667; the Saturday Star is down to 48 357 from 51 267 (sales below 50% of cover price: 4 484); Saturday Beeld has fallen to 38 370 from 41 479; Saturday Burger has declined to 61 112 from 64 261; and Saturday Dispatch to 16 469 from 18 742.

City Press has slid to 68 645 from 92 193 (yoh!) and Rapport to 124 306 from 129 169 (single copy sales: 99 028). The Sunday Times has declined to 262 715 from 291 770 (single copy sales: 152 533). Sunday Tribune has declined to 52 729 from 63 195 (sales below 50% = 4 270). Sunday Sun has crashed to 78 359 from 108 821, and Sunday World has fallen to 54 481 from 76 039.

Ilanga Langesonto is down to 36 914 from 43 329 and Isolezwe ngeSonto has declined to 68 560 from 78 092. Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo has fallen to 68 821 from 76 115.

In terms of the weeklies, The Post is down to 39 699 from 43 992 (sales below 50%: 2 525) and Ilanga has fallen to 65 101 from 69 988. The Mail & Guardian has fallen to 29 420 from 32 727. Soccer Laduma is down to 260 950 from 279 237.

The MarkLives’ Biggest Circulation Per Issue Newspaper List*

1. Sunday Times: 262 715  +1
2. Soccer Laduma: 260 950  -1
3. Daily Sun: 164 923
4. Rapport: 124 306
5. Isolezwe: 85 491
6. The Star: 80 345  +1
7. Sunday Sun: 78 359  -1
8. Sowetan: 73 610
9. Son: 72 057  +1
10. Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo: 68 821  -1

City Press: 68 645
Isolezwe ngeSonto: 68 560
Ilanga: 65 101

*South African titles only. Must have a cover price. Excludes free papers.

ABC 2017 stories

• ABC Analysis Q2 2017: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q2 2017: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q1 2017: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q1 2017: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa

ABC 2016 stories

• ABC Analysis Q4 2016: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q4 2016: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q3 2016: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q3 2016: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q2 2016: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q2 2016: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q1 2016: The biggest-circulating newspapers in South Africa
• ABC Analysis Q1 2016: The biggest-circulating consumer magazines in South Africa

More ABC stories

• ABC Analysis – Circulation Data

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

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