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ABC Q3 2024: A quiet quarter for newspapers

By Danette Breitenbach

21 Nov 2024

The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC)'s Q3 2024 figures show a quiet quarter for the embattled newspaper sector, with some nice increases as some newspapers managed to continue their momentum from the Q2 2024.

Image by Lesley Svenson, Bizcommunity. The ABC Q3 2024 figures have been released

But despite this circulation figures are still overwhelmingly declining.

ABC Q2 2024 Newspapers: Dailies and local newspapers buck the general continuing decline

Danette Breitenbach 22 Aug 2024

Daily newspapers

From the eight dailies that saw an increase in Q2, in Q3, 11 out of the 20 dailies showed an increase on the previous quarter.

The Cape Argus had a 16% increase on the previous quarter.

The Witness had an increase of just short of 12% on the previous quarter, reversing its decreases in Q2.

. The Citizen also reversed its decreases in Q2 with increases this quarter on the previous quarter.

The Daily Dispatch continued its upward movement from the previous quarter with an increase on the previous quarter and the prior year.

The Star also showed an increase on the previous quarter and the prior year.

The Herald, which had double-figure QoQ increases in Q2, had an increase on the prior year.

Publication	Frequency	Paid circulation	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Daily Nation	MD, Mo-Sat	55,751		55,751	4.2%	-8.8%
Burger, Die Daily	MD, Mo-Fr	24,638	646	25,284	-1.5%	-2.5%
Bukedde	MD, Mo-Sat	19,715		19,715	9.9%	-3.3%
Beeld, Daily	MD, Mo-Fr	18,233	510	18,743	-0.6%	-5.1%
Isolezwe	MD, Mo-Fr	16,925	3,020	19,945	0.3%	-5.1%
New Vision	MD, Mo-Fr	15,976	100	16,076	2.8%	-3.0%
Sowetan	MD, Mo-Fr	13,454	5,025	18,479	7.8%	-21.6%
Citizen, The (Daily	MD, Mo-Fr	11,620	9,189	20,809	0.1%	-13.1%
Daily Dispatch	MD, Mo-Fr	10,952	178	11,130	5.5%	2.1%
Daily Sun	MD, Mo-Fr	10,471	194	10,665	-3.4%	-27.7%
Business Day	MD, Mo-Fr	10,415	2,752	13,167	0.6%	-6.8%
Times of Swaziland	MD, Mo-Fr	9,994		9,994	-5.8%	-15.6%
Herald, The	MD, Mo-Fr	9,784	500	10,284	-9.8%	1.5%
Mercury, The	MD, Mo-Fr	5,234	3,710	8,944	3.0%	-5.8%
Witness, The	MD, Mo-Fr	4,885	1,117	6,002	11.9%	-4.7%
Star, The	MD, Mo-Fr	4,355	15,875	20,230	0.5%	5.9%
Volksblad	MD, Mo-Fr	3,773		3,773	-2.7%
Daily News	MD, Mo-Fr	3,701	3,652	7,353	4.2%	-0.4%
Cape Times	MD, Mo-Fr	3,078	5,326	8,404	6.7%	-17.2%
Cape Argus	MD, Mo-Fr	2,395	6,218	8,613	16.7%	-13.6%

US-based MDIF exits Mail & Guardian, sells to local shareholders

31 Oct 2024

Weekly newspapers

Of the eight surviving newspapers in this category, only two had increases on the previous quarter and the prior year, The Post and the Daily Maverick.

Daily Maverick's increases build on increases on the previous quarter and the prior year in Q2 2024.

Soccer Laduma, which is part of the the publications Media24’s is selling to Novus Holdings. went from the category’s worst performer in Q2 to showing a 7.5% increase on the previous quarter.

In total five newspapers showed increases on the previous quarter.

Mail & Guardian fared the worst with double-figure decreases on the previous quarter and the prior year.

Media24 starts transition to a fully digital media company

31 Oct 2024

Publication	Frequency	Paid circulation	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Soccer Laduma	Wkly, Wed	39,253	2	39,255	7.5%	-34.7%
Ilanga	2xW, Mo&Th	21,706	4,038	25,744	4.5%	-5.3%
SON Weekly	Wkly, Th	17,653	49	17,702	-1.9%	-13.1%
Post, The	Wkly, Wed	12,375	3,905	16,280	2.7%	0.7%
Daily Maverick	Wkly, Sat	9,692	1,420	11,112	0.4%	10.7%
Lesotho Times	Wkly, Th	5,979	249	6,228	-1.0%	-21.2%
Voice, The	Wkly, Fr	5,881		5,881	5.4%	-16.1%
Mail & Guardian	Wkly, Fr	5,451		5,451	-11.3%	-31.1%

Weekend newspapers

This quarter six newspapers (including non-South African newspapers) had increases on the previous quarter.

One of these, the Weekend Argus continued its good run of increases on the previous quarter from Q2.

The best performer is the Weekend Witness with an increase on the previous quarter and the prior year. It is the only newspaper in this category to show an increase on the prior year.

There are two ceased publications and two resigned in this category.

Publication	Frequency	Paid circulation	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Sunday Nation	Wkly, Sun	56,713		56,713	2.1%	-11.1%
Sunday Times	Wknd	55,948	3,142	59,090	-2.5%	-31.5%
Rapport	Wknd	53,589	621	54,210	-2.6%	-7.9%
Burger, Die Saturday	Wkly, Sat	32,643	638	33,281	-2.1%	-2.6%
Beeld, Saturday	Wkly, Sat	21,803	222	22,025	-5.1%	-7.0%
Isolezwe ngeMpelaSonto	Wkly, Sat	18,966	2	18,968	-1.4%	-16.8%
Weekend Vision	Wkly, Sun	16,322	100	16,422	7.3%	24.0%
Ilanga LempelaSonto	Wknd	13,276		13,276	-3.1%	-24.8%
Sunday World	Wknd	12,181	2,507	14,688	1.3%	-19.7%
Sunday Tribune	Wkly, Sun	11,608	4,354	15,962	2.5%	-7.4%
City Press	Wknd	10,183	712	10,895	-5.5%	-21.8%
Citizen, The (Saturday	Wkly, Sat	6,636	81	6,717	-1.9%	-25.7%
Weekend Witness	Wkly, Sat	4,439	1,079	5,518	9.6%	-5.7%
Weekend Argus	Wknd	3,186	5,280	8,466	3.1%	-10.8%
Independent on Saturday	Wkly, Sat	Resigned
Saturday Star, The	Wkly, Sat	Resigned
Daily Dispatch Weekend Edition (formerly Saturday Dispatch	Wknd	Ceased publishing
Weekend Post	Wknd	Ceased Publishing

Local newspapers

Local newspapers did not have much to cheer about, with some showing quite substantial decreases compared to the previous quarter and the prior year.

Twelve )12) free newspapers increased on the previous quarter and four on the prior year.

Weslander, The and Mpumalanga News had increases of 13% and over on the previous quarter and both also had increases on the prior year.

The rest all had increases on the previous quarter in single digits.

Vaalweekblad and Knysna Plett Herald show a decrease on the previous quarter of over 20%.

Weslander, The also has a 50% decrease on the prior year.

Publication	Frequency	Paid circulation	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
African Reporter	Wkly, Fr	13,210		13,210	-0.4%	-4.4%
George Herald (Thursday	Wkly, Th	8,154		8,154	-3.6%	-5.5%
Paarl Post	Wkly, Th	5,483	85	5,568	-4.1%	-8.4%
Weslander, The	Wkly, Th	5,345	346	5,691	13.0%	17.2%
The Kokstad Advertiser	Wkly, Th	5,058	5,721	10,779	0.5%
South Coast Herald incorporating Ugu District	Wkly, Th	4,634	1,300	5,934	-1.8%
Zululand Observer Weekend (Formerly Friday	Wkly, Th	3,778	490	4,268	-3.4%	-14.7%
Observer Middelburg	Wkly, Fr	3,453	15,084	18,537	0.3%	9.3%
Lowvelder	Wkly, Th	3,397	14,911	18,308	7.5%
Limpopo Mirror	Wkly, Fr	3,351		3,351	-8.0%	-14.0%
Mosselbay Advertiser	Wkly, Fr	3,226		3,226	-7.2%	-12.1%
Witbank News, Fri	Wkly, Fr	3,097	17,793	20,890	-0.1%	8.4%
Zululand Observer Monday	Wkly, Mon	1,833	320	2,153	-5.4%	-20.4%
Mpumalanga News	Wkly, Wed	1,590	7,472	9,062	13.4%	25.5%
Vaalweekblad	Wkly, Th	1,476		1,476	-24.5%	-50.0%
South Cape Forum/Suid Kaap Forum	Wkly, Th	1,366		1,366	6.3%	-6.5%
Die Pos	Wkly, Th	1,255	1,104	2,359	-2.2%
Newcastle Advertiser	Wkly, Th	1,006	2,993	3,999	-1.0%
Knysna Plett Herald	Wkly, Th	993		993	-22.7%	-10.9%
Observer Daller	Wkly, Fr	864	672	1,536	0.2%
Ladysmith Gazette	Wkly, Th	856	1,903	2,759	1.8%
Talk of the Town	Wkly, Th	856		856	-2.8%	-13.8%
Oudtshoorn Courant	Wkly, Th	852		852	0.6%	-1.8%
Excelsior News / Nuus	Wkly, Fr	817	1,950	2,767	1.0%
Courier	Wkly, Th	767	1,291	2,058	-1.4%
Zoutpansberger	Wkly, Th	757	760	1,517	-1.7%
Graaff Reinet Advertiser	Wkly, Th	644		644	5.1%	-20.6%
Streeknuus	Wkly, Fr	639		639	3.4%	-21.6%
Vryheid Herald	Wkly, Th	320	2,105	2,425	-2.3%
South Coast Herald-Mid South Coast Edition	Wkly, Wed	21	5,992	6,013	-0.5%
Worcester Standard	Wkly, Th	Rebranded

Free newspapers

There was little or no movement in this category which saw a huge drop in its overall circulation in Q2 caused by a high-circulation publication that ceased its print edition and migrated to a digital distribution model.

The few increases on the previous quarter were under one percent except for two newspapers, Heidelberg/Nigel Heraut and Eyethu Bay Watch (Formerly Baywatch).

It was the same situation for increases on the prior year.

Bosvelder Review and Swartland Gazette (formerly Swartland Monitor) had increases of five percent and just over.

Publication	Frequency	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
PE Express	Wkly, Wed	120,174	0.0%	0.1%
Soweto Urban News	Wkly, Th	109,097	0.0%	0.0%
Sedibeng Ster	Wkly, Th	90,980	0.0%	0.0%
Plainsman	Wkly, Wed	89,656	0.0%	0.1%
City Vision	Wkly, Th	85,000	0.0%	0.0%
Vukani	Wkly, Wed	78,176	0.0%	0.2%
Mthatha Express	Wkly, Wed	69,998	0.0%	0.0%
Tabletalk	Wkly, Wed	67,964	0.0%	0.2%
Merebank & Chatsworth Tabloid	Wkly, Wed	64,980	0.0%	0.0%
North Coast Rising Sun	Wkly, Wed	64,800	-0.1%	-0.1%
Randburg Sun	Wkly, Th	60,064	-0.2%	-0.4%
Rekord Centurion	Wkly, Wed	59,834	-0.2%	-0.2%
Phoenix Tabloid	Wkly, Tue	55,980	0.0%	0.0%
Athlone News	Wkly, Wed	54,271	0.0%	0.2%
Highway Mail	Wkly, Fr	54,034	-0.2%	0.2%
Kathorus Mail	F	53,727	-0.1%	-0.5%
The Springfield Weekly Gazette	Wkly, Th	53,480	0.0%	0.0%
Chatsworth Rising Sun	Wkly, Tue	52,700	-0.7%	-0.7%
Sandton Chronicle	Wkly, Wed	50,077	0.2%	0.1%
Thembisan	F	49,672	-0.3%	0.4%
Southern Mail	Wkly, Wed	48,973	0.0%	0.2%
Kempton Express	Wkly, Th	48,687	-0.1%	-0.1%
Southern Suburbs Tatler	Wkly, Th	47,358	0.0%	0.3%
Roodepoort Record	Wkly, Th	46,489	0.2%	0.0%
Bloemfontein Courant (formerly Krant	Wkly, Th	44,890	0.0%	0.0%
Overport Rising Sun	Wkly, Th	44,800	-0.1%	-0.1%
Bedfordview & Edenvale News	Wkly, Wed	44,769	0.6%	0.7%
Boksburg Advertiser	Wkly, Tue	43,233	0.3%	0.0%
Rekord Far East	Wkly, Tue	42,749	-0.4%
Ster, South	Wkly, Tue	41,460	0.0%	0.0%
Rosebank Killarney Gazette	Wkly, Tue	41,041	0.0%	0.1%
Ethekwini Times	Wkly, Fr	40,980	0.0%	0.0%
Umlazi Times	Wkly, Th	40,980	0.0%	0.0%
Bloemnuus	Wkly, Th	40,895	-0.3%	-0.7%
Tygerburger Mitchells Plain	Wkly, Wed	40,061	0.0%
Echo Eyethu	Wkly, Th	39,948	0.0%	0.0%
Rekord North/Noord	Wkly, Th	39,800	-0.5%	-0.4%
Benoni City Times	Wkly, Th	38,847	0.0%	1.9%
Alberton Record	Wkly, Wed	37,855	0.3%	0.8%
Helderberg Gazette & District Mail	Wkly, Wed	36,978	-0.2%	0.4%
Fourways Review	Wkly, Wed	36,802	0.1%	0.1%
Rekord East/Oos	Wkly, Tue	35,826	-0.5%	-54.4%
Noordkaap Bulletin	Wkly, Th	35,260	-0.1%	-0.1%
Tongaat & Verulam Tabloid (former Northern Star	Wkly, Tue	34,980	0.0%	0.0%
North Coast Courier	Wkly, Wed	34,872	-0.1%	4.6%
South Coast Fever	Wkly, Th	34,800	0.0%	0.0%
Ridge Times	Wkly, Tue	34,400	0.0%	0.0%
Go & Express	Wkly, Th	33,675	0.0%	-9.7%
Rekord Moot	Wkly, Th	33,530	-0.1%	-0.1%
Ster, North	Wkly, Tue	32,760	0.0%	0.0%
Constantiaberg Bulletin	Wkly, Th	31,436	0.0%	0.4%
False Bay Echo	Wkly, Th	30,999	0.0%	0.4%
Northcliff & Melville Times	Wkly, Tue	30,992	0.2%	0.2%
Eyethu Bay Watch (Formerly Baywatch	Wkly, Wed	30,970	1.1%	1.6%
Atlantic Sun	Wkly, Th	30,914	0.0%	0.4%
Standard Breederivier Gazette	Wkly, Th	30,684	0.0%
Bolander	Wkly, Wed	30,581	0.0%	0.4%
Vista	Wkly, Th	30,261	0.1%	-14.1%
UD Express	Wkly, Wed	30,144	0.1%	0.5%
Germiston City News	Wkly, Tue	30,012	0.2%	0.4%
Diamond Fields Advertiser	Wkly, Fr	30,000	0.0%	-25.0%
Dolphin Coast Mail	Wkly, Wed	29,960	0.0%	0.0%
East Coast Mail	Wkly, Wed	29,960	0.0%	0.0%
Maritzburg Sun	Wkly, Wed	29,956	0.0%	0.0%
Public Eye	Wkly, Th	29,952	0.0%	0.0%
Rekord Mamelodi	Wkly, Fr	29,950	0.0%	0.2%
Rising Sun Lenasia	Wkly, Wed	29,925	0.0%	0.0%
Issue Mangaung	Wkly, Wed	29,900	0.0%	0.0%
Umlazi Eyethu	Wkly, Th	29,881	0.0%	0.0%
Polokwane Observer	Wkly, Th	29,747	0.0%	0.0%
Tygerburger Table View	Wkly, Wed	29,071	0.0%	-3.3%
Rekord Noweto	F	28,950	0.0%	1.1%
Midrand Reporter	Wkly, Th	28,344	-0.2%	-0.2%
People s Post Athlone & Landsdowne	Wkly, Tue	28,000	0.0%	0.0%
Northglen News	Wkly, Fr	27,478	-0.2%	0.0%
Berea Mail	Wkly, Th	27,141	-0.1%	0.0%
Roodepoort Northsider (FormerlyNorthside Chronicle	Wkly, Th	26,702	-0.2%	0.2%
Krugersdorp News	Wkly, Wed	26,443	-0.1%	-0.1%
Springs Advertiser	Wkly, Th	25,884	-0.1%	-0.4%
Southern Courier	Wkly, Tue	25,297	-0.2%	-0.1%
People s Post Woodstock & City	Wkly, Tue	25,000	0.0%	0.0%
People s Post Grassy Park & Retreat	Wkly, Tue	25,000	0.0%	0.0%
Tygerburger Elsies-, Eersterivier & Ravensmead	Wkly, Wed	24,062	0.0%	-22.4%
Eikestadnuus	Wkly, Th	24,039	-0.1%	0.4%
Intshonalanga Eyethu	Wkly, Wed	23,780	0.0%	0.0%
People s Post False Bay	Wkly, Tue	22,000	0.0%	0.0%
Xpress Times	Wkly, Wed	21,980	0.0%	0.0%
Issue, Eastern Free State	Wkly, Th	21,900	0.0%	0.0%
Tygerburger Durbanville	Wkly, Wed	21,781	-0.1%	-1.0%
Comaro Chronicle	Wkly, Wed	20,939	0.2%	0.0%
Hermanus Times	Wkly, Wed	20,855	0.0%	0.3%
Swartland Gazette (formerly Swartland Monitor	Wkly, Tue	20,425	-0.2%	5.7%
Kouga Express	Wkly, Th	20,308	0.0%	1.6%
Rekord West News/Wes Nuus	F	20,200	0.0%	0.0%
Isolezwe IesiXhosa	Mtly	20,000	0.0%	0.0%
People s Post Claremont/Rondebosch	Wkly, Tue	20,000	0.0%	0.0%
People s Post Constantia/Wynberg	Wkly, Tue	20,000	0.0%	0.0%
Express	Wkly, Wed	19,888	-0.1%	-33.8%
Bonus Review	F	19,883	0.0%	0.0%
South Coast Sun	Wkly, Fr	19,876	-0.1%	0.2%
UGU Eyethu	Wkly, Wed	19,850	0.0%	0.0%
Merebank Rising Sun	Wkly, Tue	19,800	-0.3%	-0.3%
Mid South Coast Rising Sun	Wkly, Tue	19,800	-0.3%	-0.3%
Lowvelder Express	Wkly, Th	19,760	0.0%
Heidelberg/Nigel Heraut	Wkly, Wed	19,386	1.0%	-3.0%
Tygerburger Bellville	Wkly, Wed	19,292	-0.1%	-0.2%
Brakpan Herald	Wkly, Fr	19,199	-0.4%	-0.1%
Tygerburger Kuilsrivier	Wkly, Wed	18,604	0.0%	-2.5%
Rekord Central/Sentraal	F	18,500	0.0%	0.1%
Randfontein / Westonaria Herald	Wkly, Tue	18,251	0.0%	0.0%
Tygerburger Brackenfell	Wkly, Wed	18,245	-0.2%	0.0%
TygerBurger De Grendel	Wkly, Wed	18,107	0.0%	-0.1%
Southlands Sun	Wkly, Fr	17,760	0.0%	0.1%
Steelburger News	Wkly, Th	17,715	0.0%	0.1%
TygerBurger Tyger Valley	Wkly, Wed	17,085	0.0%	0.0%
Potchefstroom Herald	Wkly, Fr	16,930	0.0%	0.0%
Tygerburger Milnerton	Wkly, Wed	16,050	-0.1%	-5.9%
Northern Eyethu	Mtly	15,888	0.0%	0.0%
Weskus Nuus	F	15,463	-0.3%	3.1%
Tygerburger Kraaifontein	Wkly, Wed	15,088	0.1%	-1.8%
Alex News	F	14,790	0.0%	0.0%
Tygerburger Goodwood	Wkly, Wed	14,088	-0.1%	0.2%
Tygerburger Parow	Wkly, Wed	14,074	0.0%	0.1%
Representative	Wkly, Mon	13,233	-10.5%	-32.7%
Queensburgh News	F	13,007	-0.1%	0.6%
Vrystaat Kroon	F	12,423	0.6%	-0.4%
Carletonville Herald	Wkly, Fr	11,990	0.1%	0.0%
Zululand Eyethu (formerly Eshowe Watch	Mtly	11,972	0.0%	0.0%
Village Talk	Wkly, Wed	11,946	0.0%	0.0%
Highvelder, The	Wkly, Fr	11,790	0.0%	0.3%
Daily Sun On the GO - EC	Wkly, Th	10,995	0.0%	0.0%
Uthukela Eyethu	F	9,977	0.0%	0.1%
Greytown Gazette	Wkly, Wed	9,885	0.0%	-1.0%
Hazyview Herald	F	9,795	0.0%	0.0%
Daily Sun On the GO - FS	Wkly, Th	7,995	0.0%	0.0%
Ystervark	Wkly, Th	7,925	0.0%	0.0%
Corridor Express	F	7,720	0.0%
Observer Express	Wkly, Fr	7,715	0.0%
Parys Gazette	Wkly, Fr	7,480	0.0%	0.0%
Sentinel News	Wkly, Fr	7,265	0.0%	1.7%
Herrie	Wkly, Th	7,262	-7.8%	-34.2%
Daily Sun On the GO - KZN	Wkly, Th	5,995	0.0%	0.0%
Capricorn Voice	Wkly, Wed	5,821	-1.1%	-1.0%
Daily Sun On the GO - WC	Wkly, Th	4,995	0.0%	0.0%
The Hilton	Mtly	4,960	0.0%	0.0%
Polokwane Review	Wkly, Wed	4,824	0.0%	-0.2%
Standerton Advertiser	Wkly, Th	4,750	0.0%	0.0%
Free State Sun	Wkly, Th	4,557	-7.7%	-7.7%
Bosvelder Review	Wkly, Th	2,873	-1.8%	5.0%
Estcourt	Wkly, Th	2,498	0.0%
Corridor Gazette	F	1,760	0.0%	-81.9%
Mpumalanga Mirror	F	Terminated
Maluti News	Wkly, Fr	Resigned
Breederivier Gazette	Wkly, Wed	Rebranded
People s Post Mitchells Plain	Wkly, Tue	Rebranded
Vuk'uzenzele	Mtly	No Submission
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.