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ABC Q3 2024: Magazine momentum continues to build with some good performances

Some sectors and publications in the magazine category in the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) Q3 2024 circulation had some good movement, as this category continues to build on its momentum from Q1 and Q2 2024.
Image by Lesley Svenson, Bizcommunity. The ABC Q3 2024 figures have been released
Image by Lesley Svenson, Bizcommunity. The ABC Q3 2024 figures have been released

As in Q2 this was led by the Consumer and B2B categories but the Custom category also showed some good performances, bouncing back after its Q2 performance. However, Free magazines' freefall continues.

Consumer magazines

Sixteen (16) magazines in this category increased on the previous quarter.

Seven have an increase on the previous quarter and the prior year.

In the Male sector GQ showed a 45.6% on the previous quarter and 42.6% on the prior year.

In the Parenting sector, Baby's and Beyond continued its good run from Q2 with increases on the previous quarter and prior year. In the same sector, Baba & Kleuter also had increases on the previous quarter and the prior year.

In the Women’s General sector, five of nine publications increased on the previous quarter, with True Love, Glamour and Sarie all showing double-figure increases.

Arts, Culture and Heritage
PublicationFrequencyFree circulationTotal circulation% change quarter% change year
Jewish LifeMtly8,4278,427-0.3%-0.8%
Val de Vie Magazine2xA13,45813,996No Issue56.2%
Business and News
BusinessBriefAltM1,83031,5972.5%No Issue
Fast CompanyQNew Member
Financial MailWkly, Th2,78518,0410.5%15.8%
Forbes AfricaAltM4,59110,874-4.5%6.0%
SA Real Estate Investor MagazineMtly16,15816,158-0.8%Changed Sector
The Big Issue Magazine11xA584,377-10.2%-7.1%
Communications
The Little issueQ0No IssueNew Member
Conservation and Wildlife
African BirdlifeAltM1,1507,486-2.4%0.4%
Family Interest
HuisgenootWkly, Th1,29176,068-6.7%-16.5%
LIGQ0Resigned
Plus 506xA3214,495-17.0%-28.4%
YouWkly, Th81435,627-7.1%-22.1%
Farming
Farmer's WeeklyWkly, Fr9025,459-1.0%-14.7%
Grond tot MondQ23,14123,141-20.3%-27.7%
LandbouweekbladF8613,298-5.1%-9.5%
MarktoeMtly13,30113,3012.0%-2.9%
Health & Wellbeing
Grow to Eat3xA0Changed Frequency
Home
Conde Nast House & Garden6xA3,7059,371-15.6%1.2%
Essential FlavoursQ6,9036,903-19.1%New Member
Food&Home MagazineQ3,68014,523-1.0%-2.1%
Lose It6xA0No Issue
SA Home Owner11xA3,41114,209-9.5%-21.4%
Sarie Kos / FoodQ2809,967-17.4%-20.4%
The Gardener / Die TuinierMtly6,52828,4096.5%13.8%
Tuis Home8xA2,64456,5753.9%-0.9%
Visi6xA6859,508-0.9%-1.7%
Leisure
Let’s Braai / Kom ons Braai (former The Ultimate BraaiAnn0Rebranded
Life & Style4xA0Resigned
YourLuxury AfricaMtly19,63819,6386.7%New Member
Male
GQ6xA2,5244,22245.6%42.6%
Men's Health6xA0Terminated
Motoring
CarMtly8,20031,145-3.9%-5.9%
Driven MagazineMtly6,6636,663-5.1%-3.3%
Parenting
Baba & KleuterQ011,42510.5%8.7%
Baby's and BeyondQ12,93013,2822.5%44.3%
Your Pregnancy and BabyAltM1,4475,304-8.5%-5.0%
Sport and Hobby
Compleat GolferMtly4,3166,0801.9%-33.6%
SA RugbyMtly1,8854,551-17.7%-34.1%
Travel, Tourism & Hospitality
Cape Etc3xA5,2857,563-2.8%1.3%
GetawayMtly2,60410,238-7.5%-14.2%
go! Drive & Camp and Weg! Ry & SleepAltM49021,5660.7%-4.2%
Inbound SAMtly9,9289,9280.0%New Member
Weg / Go PlattelandQ14413,909-16.2%-13.3%
Weg/GoAltM99039,139-4.2%-5.0%
Woman's General
BONA MagazineMtly2,26510,238-22.4%-28.0%
FairladyAltM2,21427,0109.4%-10.6%
Garden & Home MagazineMtly1,7639,8261.9%-30.4%
Glamour6xA9,39712,27916.2%19.3%
KuierF58539,801-0.9%-14.0%
Rooi Rose MagazineMtly4,98124,605-9.4%-16.0%
SarieAltM3,39956,64711.3%1.7%
True LoveQ97211,01227.6%-12.8%
Women & Home MagazineMtly4,83919,529-4.8%-11.7%
Women's Health6xA0Terminated
Woman's Special
BruidsgidsAnn0No SubmissionNo Issue
Wedding GuideAnn0No SubmissionNo Issue

B2B magazines

In this category, 20 publications increased on the previous quarter.

Nine increased on the previous quarter and the prior year.

The outstanding category this quarter is the Health & Wellbeing sector with all its publications (one resigned) showing an increase on the prior quarter, with four showing an increase on the previous quarter and the prior year.

The increases ranged from MIMS’ with 82.7% to Smart Security Solutions’ with 1.2%.

Fire Protection continued its increase on the previous quarter after its change in category in Q2.

Mining & Quarrying had four of seven publications in the sector increase on the previous quarter with two also increasing on the prior year.

All three of the retail sector publications showed good increases on the previous quarter.

Agricultural
PublicationFrequencyFree circulationTotal circulation% change quarter% change year
OVK Nuus/News4xA4,7754,7750.0%0.4%
SA Graan / GrainMtly20,14720,1470.9%-4.0%
StockfarmMtly5,99210,363-24.0%0.9%
VeeplaasMtly6,71411,029-27.8%7.3%
WinelandMtly3,1073,1540.0%-0.8%
Architecture
Floors in Africa7xA12,79212,792-3.3%Changed Sector
Leading Architect & Design6xA5,1695,2064.7%-10.4%
SA Building ReviewAnn0No Issue
To Build4xA8,2259,780-0.4%-0.3%
Walls & roofs in Africa7xA12,79212,792-3.3%Changed Sector
Automotive
SA TreadsQ3,7363,7362.5%Changed Sector
Civil Construction
Civil EngineeringMtly14,76114,7671.3%Changed Sector
Construction WorldMtly17,05517,0550.0%-0.8%
IMIESA10xA10,80110,8013.5%Changed Publisher
Spec HandbooksAnn21,02221,025No Issue-26.0%
Communications
Future SA4xA6,5658,275No Issue
SA ProfileAnn0No Issue
ServiceQ4,9624,9620.0%-0.1%
Electrical Engineering
Electricity & ControlMtly10,52010,520-0.2%-24.2%
ESI Africa2xA0No Issue
Sparks Electrical NewsMtly14,84614,846-0.1%-0.5%
Engineering - Other
Capital Equipment NewsMtly13,48413,484-0.8%-1.7%
DataweekMtly2,8012,801-1.0%-3.9%
Go2Energy Technical Journal2xA10,38810,3880.0%Changed Sector
MechChem AfricaAltM11,13511,1353.9%4.0%
Motion ControlQ1,6841,684-1.9%-16.7%
Plumbing AfricaMtly12,18212,21714.2%-9.5%
Refrigeration and AirconditioningMtly7,0977,10515.6%-12.1%
SA Instrumentation & ControlMtly3,9693,969-1.9%-5.5%
Water & Sanitation Africa6xA8,0308,030-5.4%Changed Publisher
Health and Wellbeing
Fire ProtectionQ85085024.5%Changed Sector
MDR Medical Desk ReferenceAnn0ResignedNo Issue
Medical Chronicle11xA32,37232,3728.4%14.9%
MIMSMtly1173,12582.7%-4.2%
Modern Medicine Magazine6xA3,8074,26223.0%23.1%
SMART Security Solutions8xA4,0014,0011.2%3.9%
South African Pharmaceutical & Cosmetic Review11xA2,9082,9107.2%-2.6%
The Specialist Forum Journal11xA28,74828,7489.7%27.4%
Hospitality, Catering and Tourism
The Meetings & Event Planner (former SA Conference DirectoryAnn0Resigned
Industry
Analytical Reporter6xA4,9014,9015.5%-3.9%
Cold Link Africa8xA4,0644,06712.3%18.2%
Eastern Cape BusinessAnn0No IssueNo Issue
KwaZulu Natal BusinessAnn0No IssueNo Issue
Lighting in DesignQ7,7437,7430.0%-0.5%
Mpumalanga BusinessAnn0No Issue
Northern Cape BusinessAnn0No Issue
Opportunity (Exploring Business Prospects in SAQ4,9614,9610.3%No Issue
South African Food Review11xA3,3293,339-3.3%-13.0%
The Journal of African BusinessQ4,9654,9650.0%0.0%
Information and Computer Technology
Brainstorm11xA3,9728,2415.9%-10.9%
Management
African DecisionsQ10,76712,565-1.7%4.4%
Black Business QuarterlyQ31,03931,141-2.1%-19.9%
Blue ChipQ7,4597,4590.0%No Issue
Business Day EarthAnn0No IssueNew Member
Business Day EmpowermentAnn0No IssueNew Member
ESG - Future of SustainabiltyAnn960960New Member
FA NewsAltM2,7462,889-0.6%-0.3%
LeadershipMtly32,55032,705-9.0%-14.0%
Money MarketingMtly5,8985,8980.7%-9.7%
Public Sector LeadersMtly1,6911,691-79.4%Changed Sector
South African Business IntergratorQ9,7799,8330.9%-0.2%
Top 500 : South Africa's Best Managed CompaniesAnn47347383.3%New Member
Top Women LeaderAnn0No IssueChanged Sector
Mining & Quarrying
African Mines HandbookAnn0No IssueReporting Change
African Mining Inc. Mining MirrorMtly24,73624,7834.6%-15.0%
EarthbrokerMtly5,3825,3820.0%0.0%
Engineering News & Mining WeeklyWkly, Fr14,62017,0494.0%16.0%
Mining Review Africa6xA4,7904,790-0.1%2.4%
Modern MiningMtly10,32410,3240.9%-29.6%
Modern QuarryingQ7,2617,2613.2%3.8%
Retail
DIY And Industrial Trade NewsMtly8,6368,6363.4%-14.4%
Pharmacy Magazine (former Frontshop11xA19,53319,5338.6%3.5%
Supermarket & RetailerMtly18,53618,53610.7%Changed Sector
Transport and Logistics
Freight News FeaturesMtly4,9015,073-9.6%-12.2%

Custom magazines

Fourteen (14) publications increased on the previous quarter.

Six increased on the previous quarter and the prior year, including In Flight Magazine which continued its good run from Q2 with double figures.

Also continuing its good run from Q2 is South African Medical Journal.

Both youth sector publications increased on the previous quarter and prior year, with Kids Super Club showing good figures.

Farming
PublicationFrequencyFree circulationTotal circulation% change quarter% change year
Dairy Mail, TheMtly1,0561,056-20.3%-20.4%
Wolboer / Wool FarmerAltM2,0352,0352.2%Changed Sector
Health & Wellbeing
SA Pharmaceutical Journal10xA6,3786,378-8.0%No Issue
South African Medical JournalMtly12,02412,0248.4%36.4%
Home
Living SpaceMtly2,90737,8219.4%-3.0%
My KitchenMtly3,46988,2044.5%6.7%
Industry Specific
J S EQ13,07014,733-0.1%1.7%
Sea Rescue3xA19,58319,583No Issue15.6%
ServamusMtly566,089-4.5%-15.0%
The Journal of the SAIMMMtly2,0672,06714.3%Changed Sector
In-flight
In Flight MagazineMtly55,22255,22237.4%43.5%
Leisure
Private Edition4xA9,9889,988-0.1%6.6%
Taste6xA0Discontinued
Male
ManMtly3,73368,3527.0%8.5%
TechMtly2,52425,044-13.4%-23.3%
Professional
Accountancy SAMtly67,27567,27522.8%Changed Sector
De Rebus11xA42,14859,7100.0%Changed Sector
Retail
Club MagazineMtly9,494235,7143.0%-5.9%
Jet Club7xA0241,931-10.7%No Audit
Sport and Hobby
Game & Hunt/Wild & JagMtly65,48866,761-0.1%-2.2%
SoccerClubMtly3,26052,0274.4%-1.9%
SportsClubMtly2,32396,076-6.5%-8.4%
Wildland MagazineMtly2,49485,4754.1%Changed Sector
Travel, Tourism & Hospitality
PremierMtly7,7047,704-1.5%-3.0%
Rove SAQ12,20712,938-2.2%26.9%
Woman's General
Balanced LifeMtly3,54846,1469.3%-4.4%
Youth
ClubXMtly4,500106,6051.0%1.9%
Kids Super ClubMtly3,23375,3047.2%5.6%

Free magazines

A lonely single publication increase on the previous quarter (Get It [Highway]) and an increase on the prior year for Get It (Lowveld) are the only positives in this fast dwindling category.

PublicationFrequencyTotal circulation% change quarter% change year
Botswana AdvertiserF99,9650.0%0.0%
Get It (Ballito to UmhlangaMtly11,9710.0%-0.1%
Get It (BloemfonteinMtly6,8900.0%0.0%
Get It (HighwayMtly11,8430.4%-0.3%
Get It (Jo'burg SouthMtly11,716-8.1%-20.6%
Get It (Jo'burg WestMtly10,887-9.1%-21.0%
Get It (LowveldMtly6,4000.0%3.2%
Get It (Northern Suburbs JoburgMtly11,836-7.3%-19.2%
Get It (PretoriaMtly11,665-6.1%-20.2%

Tables by Andre Rademan

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.
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