/ 23 February 2001

M&G sales are soaring

Tracy Steward

The Mail & Guardian is among South Africa’s fastest-growing weekly newspapers. Our year-on-year sales, according to Audit Bureau of Circulation figures released late last week, have increased by 13,4%.

The M&G’s circulation figure for the period July to December 2000 was 37 456, against 33 031 for the same period in 1999. Since then, our sales have continued to rise. Our unaudited circulation figure for January this year was more than 41 000, indicating a further 10% increase on the last six months of last year.

In the past year the market was fairly static for most South African newspapers. The Star’s circulation increased by just 0,64%, the Saturday Star by 0,3%, and the Sunday Independent’s by 1%. The Cape Argus rose by 0,2%, while KwaZulu- Natal’s Daily News increased by 1,7%.

The weekly newspaper with the largest growth was Sowetan Sunday World, up 138%. The Sunday Times also saw an increase in circulation of 10,7%.

City Press experienced the largest fall in circulation of any urban weekly

newspaper down 31,84%. The Citizen’s Saturday edition dropped 17,88%.

The year was also gloomy for financial publications. Business Day’s circulation fell by 1,86% year-on-year and by 3% for the period July to December, and the Financial Mail’s by 7,12% for the year.

Howard Barrell, newly appointed editor of the M&G, said this week: “Our growth reflects a change in the public mood. More people want a challenging newspaper one that confronts the issues and public figures in forthright and sometimes irreverent fashion. The M&G is that newspaper. This change of mood is a sign of our growing maturity as a society.

“I expect further, dramatic growth over the next 12 months. We will be beefing up our investigations, introducing lively and authoritative business coverage and expanding a couple of features. There are another 41 000 people out there who want the M&G. We plan to reach them.”