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

By Danette Breitenbach

21 Nov 2024

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

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.

ABC Q2 2024: Magazines build on Q1 momentum with QoQ and YoY increases

22 Aug 2024

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
Publication	Frequency	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Jewish Life	Mtly	8,427	8,427	-0.3%	-0.8%
Val de Vie Magazine	2xA	13,458	13,996	No Issue	56.2%
Business and News
BusinessBrief	AltM	1,830	31,597	2.5%	No Issue
Fast Company	Q				New Member
Financial Mail	Wkly, Th	2,785	18,041	0.5%	15.8%
Forbes Africa	AltM	4,591	10,874	-4.5%	6.0%
SA Real Estate Investor Magazine	Mtly	16,158	16,158	-0.8%	Changed Sector
The Big Issue Magazine	11xA	58	4,377	-10.2%	-7.1%
Communications
The Little issue	Q	0	No Issue		New Member
Conservation and Wildlife
African Birdlife	AltM	1,150	7,486	-2.4%	0.4%
Family Interest
Huisgenoot	Wkly, Th	1,291	76,068	-6.7%	-16.5%
LIG	Q	0	Resigned
Plus 50	6xA	321	4,495	-17.0%	-28.4%
You	Wkly, Th	814	35,627	-7.1%	-22.1%
Farming
Farmer's Weekly	Wkly, Fr	902	5,459	-1.0%	-14.7%
Grond tot Mond	Q	23,141	23,141	-20.3%	-27.7%
Landbouweekblad	F	86	13,298	-5.1%	-9.5%
Marktoe	Mtly	13,301	13,301	2.0%	-2.9%
Health & Wellbeing
Grow to Eat	3xA	0	Changed Frequency
Home
Conde Nast House & Garden	6xA	3,705	9,371	-15.6%	1.2%
Essential Flavours	Q	6,903	6,903	-19.1%	New Member
Food&Home Magazine	Q	3,680	14,523	-1.0%	-2.1%
Lose It	6xA	0	No Issue
SA Home Owner	11xA	3,411	14,209	-9.5%	-21.4%
Sarie Kos / Food	Q	280	9,967	-17.4%	-20.4%
The Gardener / Die Tuinier	Mtly	6,528	28,409	6.5%	13.8%
Tuis Home	8xA	2,644	56,575	3.9%	-0.9%
Visi	6xA	685	9,508	-0.9%	-1.7%
Leisure
Let’s Braai / Kom ons Braai (former The Ultimate Braai	Ann	0	Rebranded
Life & Style	4xA	0	Resigned
YourLuxury Africa	Mtly	19,638	19,638	6.7%	New Member
Male
GQ	6xA	2,524	4,222	45.6%	42.6%
Men's Health	6xA	0	Terminated
Motoring
Car	Mtly	8,200	31,145	-3.9%	-5.9%
Driven Magazine	Mtly	6,663	6,663	-5.1%	-3.3%
Parenting
Baba & Kleuter	Q	0	11,425	10.5%	8.7%
Baby's and Beyond	Q	12,930	13,282	2.5%	44.3%
Your Pregnancy and Baby	AltM	1,447	5,304	-8.5%	-5.0%
Sport and Hobby
Compleat Golfer	Mtly	4,316	6,080	1.9%	-33.6%
SA Rugby	Mtly	1,885	4,551	-17.7%	-34.1%
Travel, Tourism & Hospitality
Cape Etc	3xA	5,285	7,563	-2.8%	1.3%
Getaway	Mtly	2,604	10,238	-7.5%	-14.2%
go! Drive & Camp and Weg! Ry & Sleep	AltM	490	21,566	0.7%	-4.2%
Inbound SA	Mtly	9,928	9,928	0.0%	New Member
Weg / Go Platteland	Q	144	13,909	-16.2%	-13.3%
Weg/Go	AltM	990	39,139	-4.2%	-5.0%
Woman's General
BONA Magazine	Mtly	2,265	10,238	-22.4%	-28.0%
Fairlady	AltM	2,214	27,010	9.4%	-10.6%
Garden & Home Magazine	Mtly	1,763	9,826	1.9%	-30.4%
Glamour	6xA	9,397	12,279	16.2%	19.3%
Kuier	F	585	39,801	-0.9%	-14.0%
Rooi Rose Magazine	Mtly	4,981	24,605	-9.4%	-16.0%
Sarie	AltM	3,399	56,647	11.3%	1.7%
True Love	Q	972	11,012	27.6%	-12.8%
Women & Home Magazine	Mtly	4,839	19,529	-4.8%	-11.7%
Women's Health	6xA	0	Terminated
Woman's Special
Bruidsgids	Ann	0	No Submission	No Issue
Wedding Guide	Ann	0	No Submission	No 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
Publication	Frequency	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
OVK Nuus/News	4xA	4,775	4,775	0.0%	0.4%
SA Graan / Grain	Mtly	20,147	20,147	0.9%	-4.0%
Stockfarm	Mtly	5,992	10,363	-24.0%	0.9%
Veeplaas	Mtly	6,714	11,029	-27.8%	7.3%
Wineland	Mtly	3,107	3,154	0.0%	-0.8%
Architecture
Floors in Africa	7xA	12,792	12,792	-3.3%	Changed Sector
Leading Architect & Design	6xA	5,169	5,206	4.7%	-10.4%
SA Building Review	Ann	0	No Issue
To Build	4xA	8,225	9,780	-0.4%	-0.3%
Walls & roofs in Africa	7xA	12,792	12,792	-3.3%	Changed Sector
Automotive
SA Treads	Q	3,736	3,736	2.5%	Changed Sector
Civil Construction
Civil Engineering	Mtly	14,761	14,767	1.3%	Changed Sector
Construction World	Mtly	17,055	17,055	0.0%	-0.8%
IMIESA	10xA	10,801	10,801	3.5%	Changed Publisher
Spec Handbooks	Ann	21,022	21,025	No Issue	-26.0%
Communications
Future SA	4xA	6,565	8,275	No Issue
SA Profile	Ann	0	No Issue
Service	Q	4,962	4,962	0.0%	-0.1%
Electrical Engineering
Electricity & Control	Mtly	10,520	10,520	-0.2%	-24.2%
ESI Africa	2xA	0	No Issue
Sparks Electrical News	Mtly	14,846	14,846	-0.1%	-0.5%
Engineering - Other
Capital Equipment News	Mtly	13,484	13,484	-0.8%	-1.7%
Dataweek	Mtly	2,801	2,801	-1.0%	-3.9%
Go2Energy Technical Journal	2xA	10,388	10,388	0.0%	Changed Sector
MechChem Africa	AltM	11,135	11,135	3.9%	4.0%
Motion Control	Q	1,684	1,684	-1.9%	-16.7%
Plumbing Africa	Mtly	12,182	12,217	14.2%	-9.5%
Refrigeration and Airconditioning	Mtly	7,097	7,105	15.6%	-12.1%
SA Instrumentation & Control	Mtly	3,969	3,969	-1.9%	-5.5%
Water & Sanitation Africa	6xA	8,030	8,030	-5.4%	Changed Publisher
Health and Wellbeing
Fire Protection	Q	850	850	24.5%	Changed Sector
MDR Medical Desk Reference	Ann	0	Resigned		No Issue
Medical Chronicle	11xA	32,372	32,372	8.4%	14.9%
MIMS	Mtly	117	3,125	82.7%	-4.2%
Modern Medicine Magazine	6xA	3,807	4,262	23.0%	23.1%
SMART Security Solutions	8xA	4,001	4,001	1.2%	3.9%
South African Pharmaceutical & Cosmetic Review	11xA	2,908	2,910	7.2%	-2.6%
The Specialist Forum Journal	11xA	28,748	28,748	9.7%	27.4%
Hospitality, Catering and Tourism
The Meetings & Event Planner (former SA Conference Directory	Ann	0	Resigned
Industry
Analytical Reporter	6xA	4,901	4,901	5.5%	-3.9%
Cold Link Africa	8xA	4,064	4,067	12.3%	18.2%
Eastern Cape Business	Ann	0	No Issue		No Issue
KwaZulu Natal Business	Ann	0	No Issue		No Issue
Lighting in Design	Q	7,743	7,743	0.0%	-0.5%
Mpumalanga Business	Ann	0	No Issue
Northern Cape Business	Ann	0	No Issue
Opportunity (Exploring Business Prospects in SA	Q	4,961	4,961	0.3%	No Issue
South African Food Review	11xA	3,329	3,339	-3.3%	-13.0%
The Journal of African Business	Q	4,965	4,965	0.0%	0.0%
Information and Computer Technology
Brainstorm	11xA	3,972	8,241	5.9%	-10.9%
Management
African Decisions	Q	10,767	12,565	-1.7%	4.4%
Black Business Quarterly	Q	31,039	31,141	-2.1%	-19.9%
Blue Chip	Q	7,459	7,459	0.0%	No Issue
Business Day Earth	Ann	0	No Issue		New Member
Business Day Empowerment	Ann	0	No Issue		New Member
ESG - Future of Sustainabilty	Ann	960	960	New Member
FA News	AltM	2,746	2,889	-0.6%	-0.3%
Leadership	Mtly	32,550	32,705	-9.0%	-14.0%
Money Marketing	Mtly	5,898	5,898	0.7%	-9.7%
Public Sector Leaders	Mtly	1,691	1,691	-79.4%	Changed Sector
South African Business Intergrator	Q	9,779	9,833	0.9%	-0.2%
Top 500 : South Africa's Best Managed Companies	Ann	473	473	83.3%	New Member
Top Women Leader	Ann	0	No Issue		Changed Sector
Mining & Quarrying
African Mines Handbook	Ann	0	No Issue		Reporting Change
African Mining Inc. Mining Mirror	Mtly	24,736	24,783	4.6%	-15.0%
Earthbroker	Mtly	5,382	5,382	0.0%	0.0%
Engineering News & Mining Weekly	Wkly, Fr	14,620	17,049	4.0%	16.0%
Mining Review Africa	6xA	4,790	4,790	-0.1%	2.4%
Modern Mining	Mtly	10,324	10,324	0.9%	-29.6%
Modern Quarrying	Q	7,261	7,261	3.2%	3.8%
Retail
DIY And Industrial Trade News	Mtly	8,636	8,636	3.4%	-14.4%
Pharmacy Magazine (former Frontshop	11xA	19,533	19,533	8.6%	3.5%
Supermarket & Retailer	Mtly	18,536	18,536	10.7%	Changed Sector
Transport and Logistics
Freight News Features	Mtly	4,901	5,073	-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
Publication	Frequency	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Dairy Mail, The	Mtly	1,056	1,056	-20.3%	-20.4%
Wolboer / Wool Farmer	AltM	2,035	2,035	2.2%	Changed Sector
Health & Wellbeing
SA Pharmaceutical Journal	10xA	6,378	6,378	-8.0%	No Issue
South African Medical Journal	Mtly	12,024	12,024	8.4%	36.4%
Home
Living Space	Mtly	2,907	37,821	9.4%	-3.0%
My Kitchen	Mtly	3,469	88,204	4.5%	6.7%
Industry Specific
J S E	Q	13,070	14,733	-0.1%	1.7%
Sea Rescue	3xA	19,583	19,583	No Issue	15.6%
Servamus	Mtly	56	6,089	-4.5%	-15.0%
The Journal of the SAIMM	Mtly	2,067	2,067	14.3%	Changed Sector
In-flight
In Flight Magazine	Mtly	55,222	55,222	37.4%	43.5%
Leisure
Private Edition	4xA	9,988	9,988	-0.1%	6.6%
Taste	6xA	0	Discontinued
Male
Man	Mtly	3,733	68,352	7.0%	8.5%
Tech	Mtly	2,524	25,044	-13.4%	-23.3%
Professional
Accountancy SA	Mtly	67,275	67,275	22.8%	Changed Sector
De Rebus	11xA	42,148	59,710	0.0%	Changed Sector
Retail
Club Magazine	Mtly	9,494	235,714	3.0%	-5.9%
Jet Club	7xA	0	241,931	-10.7%	No Audit
Sport and Hobby
Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag	Mtly	65,488	66,761	-0.1%	-2.2%
SoccerClub	Mtly	3,260	52,027	4.4%	-1.9%
SportsClub	Mtly	2,323	96,076	-6.5%	-8.4%
Wildland Magazine	Mtly	2,494	85,475	4.1%	Changed Sector
Travel, Tourism & Hospitality
Premier	Mtly	7,704	7,704	-1.5%	-3.0%
Rove SA	Q	12,207	12,938	-2.2%	26.9%
Woman's General
Balanced Life	Mtly	3,548	46,146	9.3%	-4.4%
Youth
ClubX	Mtly	4,500	106,605	1.0%	1.9%
Kids Super Club	Mtly	3,233	75,304	7.2%	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.

Publication	Frequency	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Botswana Advertiser	F	99,965	0.0%	0.0%
Get It (Ballito to Umhlanga	Mtly	11,971	0.0%	-0.1%
Get It (Bloemfontein	Mtly	6,890	0.0%	0.0%
Get It (Highway	Mtly	11,843	0.4%	-0.3%
Get It (Jo'burg South	Mtly	11,716	-8.1%	-20.6%
Get It (Jo'burg West	Mtly	10,887	-9.1%	-21.0%
Get It (Lowveld	Mtly	6,400	0.0%	3.2%
Get It (Northern Suburbs Joburg	Mtly	11,836	-7.3%	-19.2%
Get It (Pretoria	Mtly	11,665	-6.1%	-20.2%

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.