by Herman Manson (@marklives) The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa has released Newspaper-circulation statistics for the period July–September 2018 (ABC Q3 2018); see our consumer magazine ABC analysis here.

Newspaper overview

• Total newspaper circulation declined 2.9% the previous quarter, and by 4.0% on the prior year.
• Daily newspapers declined by 2.2% on the previous quarter,and by 13.6% on the prior year.
• Weekly newspapers increased by 8.7% on the previous quarter, but declined by 9.6% on the prior year.
• Weekend newspapers declined by 1.5% on the previous quarter, and by 8.3% on the prior year.
• Local newspapers declined by 3.5%on the previous quarter, and by 8.3% on the prior year.
• Free newspapers declined by 3.9% on the previous quarter, and by 1.2% on the prior year.

Biggest declines*

1. Sunday Sun  -31.81%
2. City Press  -24.04%
3. Sunday World  -21.26%
4. Daily Sun  -21.71%
5. Mail & Guardian  -16.98%
6. Son (Daily)  -15.67%
7. Son op Sondag (formerly Sondag Son)  -14.71%
8. Daily Dispatch Weekend Edition  -14.24%
9. Burger, Die Saturday  -14.19%
10. Daily Dispatch  -14.17%
11. Soccer Laduma  -11.25%

*Circulation compared to corresponding previous period (Q3 2017); excludes regional editions.

Daily papers

In Gauteng, Pretoria News has grown from 12 570 to 13 033 (copy sales = 7 126) in the corresponding previous period (Q3 2017). Beeld has fallen from 37 560 to 34 677. The Star has gone from 75 288 to 76 418 (sales below 50% = 10 282). Sowetan is down from 73 650 to 70 188.

In the Cape, Die Burger (Eastern and Western Cape editions) has declined from 46 379 to 42 363. The paper recently announced it would end the daily Eastern Cape edition, instead publishing a weekend newspaper on Fridays; the regional edition subsequently saw its circulation fall -46.94%.

The Cape Argus has decreased from 27 640 to 27 348 (3 508 to PMIE), while the Cape Times has inched up from 29 608 to 29 626 (3 145 to PMIE). Son has fallen from 66 645 to 56 199.

In the Eastern Cape, Daily Dispatch has fallen from 18 086 to 15 523, and The Herald from 18 172 to 16 395.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the Daily News is down from 23 283 to 23 153 (1 547 = sales below 50%) but The Mercury has hardly budged, up from 25 129 to 25 130 (1 487 = sales below 50%). The Witness has declined from 11 888 to 11 057.

The Citizen has fallen from 44 216 to 41 898 (single copy sales falls to 26 363) but Business Day has inched up from 20 030 to 20 084. The Daily Sun has continued its decline, from 155 845 to 122 011. Isolezwe has fallen from 85 807 to 78 220.

Volksblad has declined from 14 259 to 14 023. Diamond Fields Advertiser has decreased from 7 563 to 7 401 (863 = sales below 50%).

The MarkLives Big Daily Newspaper List*

1. Daily Sun: 122 011
2. Isolezwe: 78 220
3. The Star: 76 418
4. Sowetan: 70 188
5. Son: 56 199
6. Die Burger: 42 363
7. The Citizen: 41 898
8. Beeld: 34 677
9. The Cape Times: 29 626
10. Cape Argus: 27 348

Weekly & weekend papers

Pretoria News Saturday has declined from 7 530 to 7 302 (sales below 50% of cover price: 1 454); the Saturday Star from 44 929 to 44 124 (sales below 50% of cover price: 4 076); the Weekend Argus Saturday edition from 33 464 to 32 852; but Independent on Saturday has grown from 35 092 to 35 281 (sales below 50% of cover price: 6 815).

Saturday Beeld has fallen from 36 962 to 35 775; Saturday Burger from 59 048 to 50 669 and Daily Dispatch Weekend Edition (formerly Saturday Dispatch) from 16 372 to 14 041.

City Press has fallen from 62 962 to 47 824 (in Q1 2014, total circ stood at 118 676) and Rapport from 115 818 to 110 441 (in Q1 2014, total circ stood at 177 016). The Sunday Times has declined from 260 781 to 250 368 (in Q1 2014, total circ stood at 405 458).

Sunday Tribune has declined from 51 510 to 50 514 (sales below 50% = 9 050). Sunday Sun has collapsed from 75 906 to 51 758 and Sunday World has also dropped from 54 836 to 43 178.

Ilanga Langesonto has declined from 37 746 to 35 160 and Isolezwe ngeSonto has fallen from 67 499 to 63 809. Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo has grown from 65 213 to 66 117.

In terms of the weeklies, The Post has increased from 36 703 to 37 692 (sales below 50%: 2 584) as Ilanga has fallen from 63 718 to 57 652. The Mail & Guardian has declined from 27 766 to 23 052. Soccer Laduma is down from 281 950 to 250 231.

See also

• Consumer magazine circ continues decline, shows ABC Q3 2018
• Circulation Data – ABC Analysis

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

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