The big daily newspapers are getting bigger while the other titles fight for the scraps, according to the latest ABC quarterly report for the period between July and September this year.
It also shows a three percent growth in weekend newspapers, a 6.3-percent growth in community papers and an 11.7-percent increase in the circulations of free newspapers. The number of free newspapers with ABC figures has grown by 14 titles to 127 in total.
According to Sue Grant, a board member on the ABC, four of the daily newspapers have circulations over 100,000, and account for 49.5 percent of the total circulation in this category.
They are Beeld (104,932), Daily Sun (467,681), Sowetan (133,195) and The Star (168,776). The total circulation for these four grew by 3.3 percent, while the rest of the category, another 21 titles, only grew 0.8 percent.
“The big are getting bigger,” says Grant.
Overall print media is looking healthy. In 2006, there were 118 new print titles registered with the ABC, of which 85 were magazines.
But Gordon Utian, ABC president, warned that the weakening rand would lead to increased printing and paper costs, as paper and printing inputs such as plates and inks are generally imported.
This could hurt new magazines which launched in the last few years when the rand was strong and they were able to get good prices on printing and paper.
Future growth in print could come from those titles aimed at the previously disadvantaged and those with an educational function, says Grant, quoting from a presentation prepared by Nick Holdsworth, chairman of Print Media SA.
The circulation of newspapers targeting the “previously disadvantaged” grew eight percent, from 1.8-million in 2005 to two million in 2006.
All the magazines were up compared to same period in 2005. Free magazines increased six percent, customer magazines eight percent and consumer magazines increased by nine percent because of new titles.
Business to business (B2B) magazines showed the healthiest growth at 11 percent. This can be attributed to growth in the B2B magazines in property, which increased by 30 percent, retail by 24 percent and medical by 11 percent.
Women’s magazines accounted for 31 percent of all consumer magazines circulation, according to Grant. However, the average circulation has declined 16 percent, from 89,515 in 2005 to 75,478, suggesting that this very crowded sector is cannibalising itself.
Ideas/Idees has the highest circulation in this category with 141,001, after it relaunched and combined Women’s Value and Dit.
It is followed by Sarie, despite a drop in its circulation, then True Love in second place and Cosmopolitan following closely behind.
Move! is again the big climber, having more than doubled its circulation. Targeted at black women in LSM 4 – 6 and priced at R3.95, it is proof that the lower LSMs will buy magazines if the price is right.
The Daily Sun continues its upward trend, with a latest ABC of 467,681. This is up from 443,830 in the corresponding period. Zulu newspaper Isolezwe and the Sowetan also showed significant increases.
Here is a summary of the ABC findings – the first figure is the latest ABC (July to September 2006) and the second figure refers to the ABC for the corresponding previous period (July to September 2005).
Urban Daily Newspapers – most significant changes
This sector remains fairly stable, with the overall circulation dropping slightly from 1,779,238 to 1,766,299. It was the newspapers aimed at the black market that showed the most growth.
Up
Daily Sun – 467,681 vs 443,830
Isolezwe – 88,456 vs 83,874
Sowetan – 133,195 vs 128,936
Urban Weekly Newspapers – most significant changes
This sector has grown from 790,971 in the previous corresponding period to 802,059, with the increase driven by Soccer Laduma and Umafrika.
Up
Soccer Laduma – 311,621 vs 292,628
Mail & Guardian – 43,102 vs 38,822
Umafrika – 35,262 vs 20,209
Down
Ilanga – 97,072 vs 112,665
Son (Western Cape) – 110,925 vs 118,002
Weekend newspapers – most significant changes
Newcomer The Weekender, from Business Day, is on 7,548, up from its previous quarter showing of 5,076. The size of this market has grown from 2,484,754 to 2,559,467. Once again, the big growth is seen in titles aimed at the black market.
Up
City Press – 186,224 vs 179,987
Sunday World – 181,090 vs 144,047
Down
Rapport – 311,573 vs 321,439
Sunday Nation – 214,952 vs 222,952
Women’s magazines (including Wellness and Women’s special categories)
Total circulation for the category is 1,654,998, compared to the previous corresponding circulation of 1,441,650.
Up
True Love – 113,007 vs 108,966
Finesse – 96,690 vs 89,819
Move! – 86,647 vs 37,271
Woman and Home – 85,040 vs 79,915
Fairlady – 83,189 vs 82,155
Real Magazine – 56,471 vs 47,526
Elle – 44,884 vs 32,554
Longevity – 23,199 vs 21,424
Down
Sarie – 130,500 vs 144,315
Cosmopolitan – 112,161 vs 114,768
Glamour – 96,596 vs 104,743
Rooi Rose – 95,769 vs 125,126
Vroue Keur – 88,464 vs 98,835
Your Family – 68,494 vs 76,782
O, The Oprah Magazine – 59,820 vs 73,166
Essentials – 52,103 vs 62,420
Shape – 46,759 vs 51,915
Femina – 43,066 vs 46,189
Marie Claire – 39,649 vs 44,655
First ABC (or no comparable period)
Ideas/Idees – 141,001
Leef – 40,634
Real Simple – 26,632
Me! – 22,223
Men’s magazines
The overall circulation for the category drops again this quarter, from 281,271 to 261,596. Three of the four men’s magazines dropped in circulation. Only Popular Mechanics grew from 33,216 to 37,595.
Up
Popular Mechanics – 37,595 vs 33,216
Down
FHM – 107,329 vs 124,089
Men’s Health – 87,054 vs 89,430
GQ – 29,618 vs 34,534
Home magazines
Total circulation dropped from 457,459 to 442,157.
Up
The Gardener – 47,435 vs 44,611
Tuin Paleis – 36,450 vs 35,826
Home Handyman – 14,442 vs 14,179
SA Gardening – 38,900 vs 37,847
Down
Tuis Home – 83,339 vs 79,636
SA Garden and Home – 80,810 vs 85,275
SA Home Owner – 53,611 vs 60,497
Conde Nast House & Garden – 42,783 vs 45,155
House & Leisure – 38,277 vs 39,614
Wine – 9,813 vs 11,116
General magazines
The sector’s total circulation has grown from 1,332,731 to 1,410,219.
Although both dropped in circulation, Huisgenoot and You still attract the biggest numbers in this category, while TV Plus is growing well.
Readers Digest is once again disappointing, dropping almost 30 percent.
Up
TV Plus – 168,870 vs 148,365
People – 110,199 vs 104,013
Drum – 71,816 vs 61,696
Landbouweekblad – 42,495 vs 42,255
Top Billing – 33,330 vs 30,091
Farmer’s Weekly – 13,958 vs 13,582
Insig – 11,713 vs 11,027
Down
Huisgenoot – 343,031 vs 347,602
You – 213,014 vs 223,827
Bona – 88,527 vs 91,986
Heat – 75,025 vs 75,072
Reader’s Digest – 57,004 vs 80,256
Style – 10,375 vs 10,850
First ABC
Mense – 20,585
Finance magazines
The category shows massive growth, with a total circulation of 102,667, thanks to two new titles and Finweek’s name change. The previous period’s total circulation of 25,991 does not include the separate figures of Finance Week and Finansies & Tegniek’s before they merged into Finweek.
Up
Financial Mail – 30,072 vs 25,991
First ABC
Finweek – 31,634
Entrepreneur – 6,452 (and 10,654 free)
Maverick – 3,397 (and 20,458 free because of in-flight magazine deal with Kulula)
Youth magazines
This category has grown from 83,004 to 99,496, with significant growth for National Geographic for Kids.
Up
Seventeen – 36,927 vs 34,024
National Geographic for Kids – 30,179 vs 19,170
Barbie – 18,383 vs 17,561
SL Student Life – 14,007 vs 12,229
Sports magazines
The category has grown from 276,870 to 286,659.
Up
Tight Lines – 34,919 vs 34,847
Amakhosi – 34,240 vs 32,663
Golf Digest – 29,922 vs 23,614
Compleat Golfer – 24,925 vs 21,499
Runner’s World – 18,445 vs 17,284
Down
Kick Off – 62,191 vs 62,760
SA Sports Illustrated – 35,215 vs 35,356
Magnum – 21,780 vs 24,155
SA Rugby – 15,015 vs 16,533
Travel magazines
The sector is definitely hotting up, as we see the first figures for go! – Media 24’s English version of Weg, and Wegbreek – Ramsay Son & Parker’s Afrikaans version of Getaway. The new competition appears to be putting Getaway under strain.
Overall, the category shows significant growth, moving from 217,507 to 273,845.
Up
Weg/Go – 113,278 vs 74,936
Africa Geographic – 23,916 vs 23,480
Down
Getaway – 68,905 vs 81,206
SA Country Life – 37,674 vs 37,881
First ABC
Wegbreek – 30,072
Leisure magazines
This category has grown to 77,302 from the previous period’s 62,795.
Up
Food & Home Entertaining – 34,431 vs 28,806
Caravan and Outdoor Life – 19,819 vs 19,207
Wineland – 7,842 vs 7,725
Down
The Complete Fly Fisherman – 6,733 vs 7,057
Motoring magazines
Overall, this category grows to 317,489, up from its previous corresponding period of 308,711.
We are not yet seeing the impact of new publications, which will shake up this category. Media24 has bought Topcar and introduces the British magazine MaxPower, while Ramsay, Son & Parker launches La’t Wiel, a motoring magazine for Afrikaans motoring enthusiasts.
Up
Speed and Sound – 58,215 vs 55,997
Bike SA – 36,075 vs 35,932
SA 4X4 – 15,886 vs 14,571
Down
Car – 110,026 vs 110,626
Auto Trader – 23,676 vs 25,699
Cars in Action – 14,202 vs 15,933
Commercial Trader – 7,202 vs 7,303
Autolocator (Gauteng) – 44,113 vs 33,472
Parenting magazines
This category total circulation shrinks slightly to 127,502, down from 129,544. (This figure includes Parents, which is a Kenyan magazine with a circulation of 42,942)
Up
Your Baby – 24,178 vs 23,780
Down
Living & Loving – 35,349 vs 38,202
Baba & Kleuter – 25,033 vs 25,259
This article originally appeared on marketingweb.co.za. To see the previous quarter’s ABC figures, visit http://www.marketingweb.co.za/media/925668.htm