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Newspapers ABC Q3 2022: Daily and local papers decline but numbers steady

By Karabo Ledwaba

15 Nov 2022

The Audit Bureau of Circulations South Africa's (ABC) figures for Q3 2022 show daily newspapers are down on both a y-o-y and quarter-on-quarter basis.

Source: compiled by Emily Stander.

In the report the ABC stated that despite decreasing consumption, South Africa still sees a massive amount of newspaper consumption.

“However, strategies aside, the media print industry in South Africa is still vast. The country still distributes about 10 million registered ABC publications in a quarter. A massive 6,5 million newspapers were consumed in Quarter 3, which remains an impressive high consumption for a country like South Africa,” states the report.

Daily newspapers

This quarter sees Daily Nation, Die Burger Daily, Bukedde, Beeld Daily and Sowetan up by less than 5% across the board.

The biggest losers this quarter are Herald, Son Daily, Daily Sun, The Citizen (Daily) and The Witness with all of them recording losses of over 5%.

Daily Sun has continued its losing streak this year as it records the biggest loss for y-o-y with a 27.8% loss.

Publication	Frequency	Paid circulation	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Daily Nation	MD, Mo-Sat	70,634		70,634	0.1%	-5.9%
Daily Sun	Mo-Fr	30,775	167	30,942	-5.3%	-27.8%
Isolezwe	MD, Mo-Fr	28,381	1,025	29,406	-2.6%	-10.6%
Burger, Die Daily	MD, Mo-Fr	27,402	657	28,059	1.1%	-7.0%
Bukedde	MD, Mo-Sat	24,401		24,401	1.4%	-18.0%
Beeld, Daily	MD, Mo-Fr	20,693	780	21,473	2.2%	-4.8%
New Vision	MD, Mo-Fr	17,591	100	17,691	-1.9%	-2.2%
Son (Daily)	MD, Mo-Fr	16,774	51	16,825	-8.1%	-22.8%
Sowetan	Mo-Fr	16,219	11,406	27,625	1.9%	-8.6%
Citizen, The (Daily)	MD, Mo-Fr	15,728	9,117	24,845	-5.0%	-9.0%
Star, The	MD, Mo-Fr	14,139	13,424	27,563	-1.4%	7.0%
Times of Swaziland	MD, Mo-Fr	14,067		14,067	-2.5%	-19.6%
Business Day	MD, Mo-Fr	11,159	3,836	14,995	-1.3%	-3.3%
Daily Dispatch	MD, Mo-Fr	10,741	159	10,900	-3.1%	6.9%
Herald, The	MD, Mo-Fr	9,986	500	10,486	-8.7%	-5.1%
Mercury, The	MD, Mo-Fr	7,827	3,502	11,329	-2.0%	-0.8%
Cape Times	MD, Mo-Fr	7,381	4,010	11,391	-2.0%	-2.8%
Cape Argus	MD, Mo-Fr	6,322	4,148	10,470	-1.9%	-5.5%
Witness, The	MD, Mo-Fr	6,264	121	6,385	-6.2%	-12.7%
Daily News	MD, Mo-Fr	5,730	3,423	9,153	-2.7%	-3.6%
Pretoria News	MD, Mo-Fr	Resigned				.

Weekly newspapers

Soccer Laduma and Lesotho Times are the only two weekly newspapers that saw an uptake this quarter with Lesotho Times seeing a 9% increase for the quarter, and an uptake from the prior year as well.

Publication	Frequency	Paid circulation	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Soccer Laduma	Wkly, Wed	78,894		78,894	5.5%	-18.3%
Ilanga	2xW, Mo&Th	35,634		35,634	-4.1%	-13.3%
Post, The	Wkly, Wed	15,036	3,545	18,581	-5.1%	-8.1%
Mail & Guardian	Wkly, Fr	7,970	522	8,492	-1.4%	-25.9%
Voice, The	Wkly, Fr	7,711		7,711	-2.7%	-19.4%
Daily Maverick,	Wkly, Sat	6,735	1,377	8,112	-2.2%
Lesotho Times	Wkly, Th	6,616	550	7,166	9.0%	9.4%
BOTSWANA GUARDIAN	Wkly, Wed	Terminated
The Midweek Sun	Wkly, Wed	Terminated
Diamond Fields Advertiser.	Wkly, Fr	Resigned			Suspended	.

Weekend newspapers

Rapport and Beeld Saturday are the only two weekend newspapers that were up this quarter. The biggest loser in the third quarter is Sunday World which saw a double-digit loss. City Press saw the biggest y-o-y loss of 26.4% following a similar loss in Q2.

Publication	Frequency	Paid circulation	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Sunday Times	Wknd	81,404	30,106	111,510	-0.9%	-5.9%
Sunday Nation	Wkly, Sun	78,763		78,763	-1.6%	-9.1%
Rapport	Wknd	66,316	220	66,536	1.7%	-11.2%
Burger, Die Saturday	Wkly, Sat	37,532	651	38,183	-1.0%	-10.4%
Beeld, Saturday	Wkly, Sat	26,762	218	26,980	2.2%	-8.7%
Isolezwe ngoMgqibelo	Wkly, Sat	21,595	2	21,597	-5.4%	-15.4%
Sunday World	Wknd	21,084	3,981	25,065	-10.8%	-19.2%
Isolezwe ngeSonto	Wkly, Sun	18,549	3	18,552	-0.6%	-13.4%
Ilanga Langesonto	Wknd	16,796		16,796	-1.9%	-16.3%
City Press	Wknd	16,643	313	16,956	-5.8%	-26.4%
Sunday Tribune	Wkly, Sun	15,942	3,968	19,910	-4.0%	-8.7%
Sunday Vision	Wkly, Sun	10,924	100	11,024	-4.8%	-25.0%
Independent on Saturday	Wkly, Sat	9,717	3,722	13,439	-3.3%	-9.7%
Citizen, The (Saturday)	Wkly, Sat	9,665	83	9,748	-1.3%	-20.7%
Daily Dispatch Weekend Edition (formerly Saturday Dispatch)	Wknd	8,364	105	8,469	-7.3%	-10.7%
Weekend Argus	Wknd	7,659	4,517	12,176	-5.5%	-6.8%
Weekend Post	Wknd	7,596	450	8,046	-3.8%	-12.0%
Weekend Witness	Wkly, Sat	5,495	113	5,608	-5.7%	-18.4%
Saturday Star, The	Wkly, Sat	4,682	3,554	8,236	-1.4%	-10.9%
Pretoria News Saturday	Wkly, Sat	Resigned				.

Local newspapers

Local paper Witbank News which shined in the Q2 with a double-digit increase saw a 2.2% loss this quarter. However it has continued to grow on a y-o-y basis with it reporting a 42.3% increase.

Paarl Post, Worcester Standard, Limpopo Mirror and Die Daller were the only local newspapers to show a positive increase for the quarter.

Publication	Frequency	Paid circulation	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Witbank News, Fri	Wkly, Fr	19,675		19,675	-2.2%	42.3%
Middelburg Observer, Fri	Wkly, Fr	17,061		17,061	-0.6%	32.0%
African Reporter	Wkly, Fr	14,090		14,090	-2.3%	-13.3%
George Herald (Thursday)	Wkly, Th	9,329		9,329	-1.7%	-10.8%
Mpumalanga News	Wkly, Wed	7,333		7,333	-1.4%	10.2%
Paarl Post	Wkly, Th	6,913	23	6,936	3.2%	-2.0%
Worcester Standard	Wkly, Th	5,537	6	5,543	5.0%	-3.2%
Zululand Observer Weekend (Formerly Friday)	Wkly, Fr	5,426	490	5,916	-0.1%	10.9%
Weslander, The	Wkly, Th	5,219	219	5,438	0.0%	-11.2%
Limpopo Mirror	Wkly, Fr	4,667		4,667	10.6%	3.2%
Mosselbay Advertiser	Wkly, Fr	4,123		4,123	-4.0%	-15.6%
Vaalweekblad	Wkly, Th	3,067		3,067	-2.3%	-15.4%
Zululand Observer Monday	Wkly, Mon	2,670	439	3,109	-7.2%	1.7%
Daller, Die	Wkly, Fr	1,672		1,672	4.4%	4.2%
South Cape Forum/Suid Kaap Forum	Wkly, Th	1,670		1,670	-6.0%	-15.6%
Talk of the Town	Wkly, Fr	1,307		1,307	-5.1%	-16.5%
Bosvelder Review	Wkly, Fr	1,260		1,260	-6.6%	-5.1%
Knysna Plett Herald	Wkly, Th	1,093		1,093	-0.7%	-20.2%
The Courier	Wkly, Fr	1,091		1,091	0.0%	-3.1%
Streeknuus	Wkly, Fr	1,008		1,008	-11.1%	-25.2%
Oudtshoorn Courant	Wkly, Fr	889		889	-7.0%	-15.4%
Graaff Reinet Advertiser	Wkly, Th	789		789	-2.5%	-23.3%
District Mail	Wkly, Th	Rebranded
Estcourt and Midlands News	Wkly, Fr	Changed Sector
Ladysmith Gazette	Wkly, Fr	Changed Sector
Newcastle and District Advertiser	Wkly, Fr	Changed Sector
Northern Natal Courier	Wkly, Fr	Changed Sector
Northern Review Weekend	Wkly, Fr	Changed Sector
Representative	Wkly, Fr	Changed Sector
Vryheid Herald	Wkly, Fr	Changed Sector				.

Free newspapers

Merebank & Chatsworth Tabloid was the only free paper to have a double digit increase this quarter. The Kwazulu-Natal based publication saw a significant y-o-y increase of 23.8%.

Publication	Frequency	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Alberton Record	Wkly, Wed	37,625	-0.4%	0.1%
Alex News	F	14,790	0.1%	-0.1%
Athlone News	Wkly, Wed	54,151	0.0%	0.0%
Atlantic Sun	Wkly, Wed	30,794	0.0%	0.0%
Bedfordview & Edenvale News	Wkly, Wed	44,284	-0.5%	0.3%
Benoni City Times	Wkly, Th	38,065	-0.2%	-2.0%
Berea Mail	Wkly, Fr	27,101	1.8%	-0.2%
Bloemfontein Courant (formerly Krant)	Wkly, Th	44,889	0.0%	0.0%
Bloemnuus	Wkly, Th	41,940	0.4%	2.6%
Boksburg Advertiser	Wkly, Tue	43,093	-1.3%	-0.9%
Bolander	Wkly, Wed	30,461	0.0%	0.0%
Bonus Review	Wkly, Wed	19,850	0.0%	0.0%
Brakpan Herald	Wkly, Fr	18,972	-1.6%	-0.1%
Breederivier Gazette.	Wkly, Wed	12,427	1.0%	3.8%
Capricorn Voice ..	Q	5,878	-0.3%	1.0%
Carletonville Herald.	Wkly, Fr	11,910	0.0%	-0.5%
Chatsworth Rising Sun	Wkly, Tue	53,050	0.0%	2.9%
City Vision (Khayalitsha)	Wkly, Th	50,587	0.0%	0.0%
City Vision (Langa/Gugulethu)	Wkly, Th	29,413	-3.1%	-9.5%
City Vision (Lwandle / Nomzamo) former Kasi Vision Helderberg	Wkly, Th	10,000	0.0%	0.0%
Coastal Weekly	Wkly, Th	29,975	0.0%	4.1%
Comaro Chronicle	Wkly, Wed	20,923	0.6%	0.5%
Constantiaberg Bulletin	Wkly, Wed	31,316	0.0%	0.0%
Corridor Gazette	F	9,710	0.0%	0.0%
Daily Sun On the GO - EC	Wkly, Th	10,995	0.0%	0.0%
Daily Sun On the GO - FS	Wkly, Th	7,995	0.0%	0.0%
Daily Sun On the GO - KZN	Wkly, Th	5,995	0.1%	0.0%
Daily Sun On the GO - WC	Wkly, Th	4,995	0.0%	0.0%
Dolphin Coast Mail	Wkly, Wed	29,960	0.0%	0.0%
East Coast Mail	Wkly, Wed	29,960	0.0%	0.0%
Eastern Cape Rising Sun	Wkly, Tue	Terminated
Eikestadnuus.	Wkly, Th	23,931	0.6%	0.4%
Ethekwini Times	Wkly, Fr	40,980	0.0%	0.0%
Express	Wkly, Wed	34,080	0.1%	0.3%
Eyethu Bay Watch (Formerly Baywatch)	Wkly, Wed	30,062	0.0%	0.0%
False Bay Echo	Wkly, Wed	30,879	0.0%	0.0%
Fourways Review	Wkly, Wed	36,879	0.7%	0.3%
Free State Sun	Wkly, Th	4,750	0.0%	0.0%
Germiston City News	Wkly, Tue	29,819	-0.4%	-8.3%
Go & Express	Wkly, Th	37,363	0.1%	-0.1%
Greytown Gazette	Wkly, Mon	9,980	0.8%	0.8%
Hazyview Herald	F	9,795	0.0%	0.0%
Heidelberg/Nigel Heraut	Wkly, Wed	19,605	0.0%	1.6%
Helderberg Gazette & District Mail	Wkly, Wed	37,036	4.9%	16.9%
Hermanus Times.	Wkly, Wed	19,995	-3.0%	-2.8%
Herrie	Wkly, Th	12,647	0.0%	5.8%
Highvelder, The	Wkly, Fr	11,760	0.0%	0.0%
Highway Mail	Wkly, Fr	53,820	5.3%	-0.8%
IDISKI TIMES	Wkly, Tue	28,362	-3.0%
Inner City Gazette	Wkly, Th	4,975	0.0%	0.0%
Intshonalanga Eyethu	Wkly, Fr	23,780	0.0%	0.0%
Issue Mangaung	Wkly, Wed	29,900	0.0%	0.0%
Issue, Eastern Free State	Wkly, Th	21,900	0.0%	0.0%
Kathorus Mail	F	54,020	0.1%	0.0%
Kempton Express	Wkly, Th	48,475	-0.1%	0.0%
Komani Karoo Express	Mtly	Discontinued
Kouga Express	Wkly, Th	19,986	0.0%	0.1%
Krugersdorp News	Wkly, Wed	26,422	0.1%	0.3%
Maluti News	Wkly, Fr	2,495	0.0%	0.0%
Maritzburg Echo	Wkly, Th	34,980	0.2%	4.9%
Maritzburg Sun	Wkly, Wed	29,956	0.0%	5.4%
Maseru Metro	Wkly, Th	No Audit Report
Merebank & Chatsworth Tabloid	Wkly, Wed	64,980	11.6%	23.8%
Merebank Rising Sun	Wkly, Tue	19,850	0.0%	0.0%
Mid South Coast Rising Sun	Wkly, Tue	19,850	0.0%	0.0%
Midrand Reporter	Wkly, Th	28,235	0.1%	0.6%
Msunduzi Eyethu (former Edendale)	Wkly, Th	34,948	0.0%	13.8%
Mthatha Express	Wkly, Wed	69,990	0.0%	0.0%
Noordkaap Bulletin	Wkly, Th	35,287	0.1%	0.4%
North Coast Courier	Wkly, Wed	29,908	0.1%	3.9%
North Coast Rising Sun	Wkly, Wed	64,860	0.0%	0.0%
Northcliff & Melville Times	Wkly, Tue	30,457	-0.3%	1.2%
Northern Eyethu	Mtly	15,857	0.0%	0.0%
Northern Review Weekend	Wkly, Fr	4,868
Northglen News	Wkly, Fr	27,404	2.7%	-0.5%
Overport Rising Sun	Wkly, Th	44,850	0.0%	5.9%
Parys Gazette	Wkly, Fr	7,480	0.0%	0.0%
PE Express	Wkly, Wed	119,964	0.0%	0.0%
People s Post Athlone & Landsdowne	Wkly, Tue	28,000	0.0%	0.0%
People s Post Woodstock & City	Wkly, Tue	25,000	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%
People s Post False Bay	Wkly, Tue	22,000	0.0%	0.0%
People s Post Grassy Park & Retreat	Wkly, Tue	25,000	0.0%	0.0%
People s Post Mitchells Plain	Wkly, Tue	50,000	0.0%	0.0%
Phoenix Tabloid	Wkly, Tue	55,980	0.0%	0.0%
Plainsman	Wkly, Wed	89,536	0.0%	0.0%
Polokwane Observer.	Wkly, Th	29,751	0.0%	0.0%
Potchefstroom Herald.	Wkly, Fr	16,938	0.0%	0.0%
Public Eye	Wkly, Th	29,952	0.0%	0.0%
Queensburgh News	F	12,932	0.8%	-0.8%
Randburg Sun	Wkly, Th	59,877	0.0%	0.5%
Randfontein / Westonaria Herald.	Wkly, Tue	18,177	0.1%	-0.1%
Rekord Central/Sentraal	F	18,500	0.0%	0.0%
Rekord Centurion	Wkly, Wed	59,934	-0.5%	-0.4%
Rekord East/Oos	Wkly, Tue	78,842	-0.3%	-0.2%
Rekord Mamelodi	Wkly, Fr	29,950	0.0%	0.0%
Rekord Moot	Wkly, Th	33,567	0.0%	0.0%
Rekord North/Noord	Wkly, Th	39,958	0.2%	-0.1%
Rekord Noweto	F	28,950	0.0%	0.0%
Rekord West News/Wes Nuus	F	20,200	0.0%	0.0%
Representative	Wkly, Mon	20,279	-24.2%
Ridge Times	Wkly, Tue	34,399	-0.5%	0.0%
Rising Sun Lenasia	Wkly, Wed	29,925	0.0%	0.0%
Roodepoort Northsider (FormerlyNorthside Chronicle	Wkly, Th	26,760	0.1%	-0.3%
Roodepoort Record	Wkly, Th	46,633	-0.1%	0.6%
Rosebank Killarney Gazette	Wkly, Tue	41,016	-0.2%	0.4%
Sandton Chronicle	Wkly, Wed	49,830	-0.5%	0.4%
Sedibeng Ster	Wkly, Th	90,980	0.0%	0.0%
Sentinel News	Wkly, Wed	7,145	0.0%	0.0%
South Coast Fever	Wkly, Th	34,850	-0.1%	4.2%
South Coast Sun	Wkly, Fr	19,765	3.0%	-0.8%
Southern Courier	Wkly, Tue	25,385	-0.1%	0.1%
Southern Mail	Wkly, Wed	48,853	0.0%	0.0%
Southern Star	Wkly, Fr	Rebranded
Southern Suburbs Tatler	Wkly, Wed	47,238	0.0%	0.0%
Southlands Sun	Wkly, Fr	17,630	1.8%	-0.8%
Soweto Urban News	Wkly, Th	101,307	-7.1%	-3.4%
Springs Advertiser	Wkly, Th	26,020	-0.1%	-0.1%
Standerton Advertiser.	Wkly, Tue	4,750	0.0%	0.0%
Stanger Weekly	Wkly, Wed	29,200	0.0%	4.0%
Steelburger	Wkly, Th	17,700	0.0%	0.0%
Ster, North	Wkly, Tue	32,760	0.0%	0.0%
Ster, South	Wkly, Tue	41,460	0.0%	0.0%
Swartland Gazette (formerly Swartland Monitor).	Wkly, Tue	19,607	1.5%	2.2%
Tabletalk	Wkly, Wed	67,844	0.0%	0.0%
The Hilton	Mtly	4,960	0.0%	0.0%
The Springfield Weekly Gazette	Wkly, Th	52,480	0.0%	0.0%
Thembisan	F	49,643	-0.3%	0.0%
Tongaat & Verulam Tabloid (former Northern Star)	Wkly, Tue	34,980	0.0%	0.0%
Tygerburger Bellville	Wkly, Wed	19,270	-0.1%	0.3%
Tygerburger Brackenfell	Wkly, Wed	18,245	-1.8%	-6.0%
TygerBurger De Grendel	Wkly, Wed	18,132	-0.6%	-2.4%
Tygerburger Durbanville	Wkly, Wed	20,324	-0.8%	-2.9%
Tygerburger Eersterivier/Blue Downs	Wkly, Wed	25,068	-2.7%	-9.7%
Tygerburger Elsiesrivier & Ravensmead	Wkly, Wed	16,051	0.1%	0.2%
Tygerburger Goodwood	Wkly, Wed	14,066	0.0%	-0.2%
Tygerburger Kraaifontein	Wkly, Wed	17,081	-2.8%	-8.6%
Tygerburger Kuilsrivier	Wkly, Wed	19,086	-0.4%	-1.3%
Tygerburger Milnerton	Wkly, Wed	17,077	-1.8%	-7.5%
Tygerburger Parow	Wkly, Wed	14,067	-0.6%	-2.1%
Tygerburger Table View	Wkly, Wed	30,071	-1.4%	-4.5%
TygerBurger Tyger Valley	Wkly, Wed	17,089	-0.6%	-2.1%
UD Express	Wkly, Wed	29,990	0.0%	0.1%
UGU Eyethu	Wkly, Wed	19,850	0.0%	0.0%
Umgungundlovu Eyethu (former Umngeni)	F	19,960	0.0%	25.1%
Umlazi Eyethu	Wkly, Fr	29,880	0.0%	0.0%
Umlazi Times	Wkly, Th	40,980	0.0%	0.0%
Uthukela Eyethu	Wkly, Th	9,893	0.0%	-0.5%
Village Talk	Wkly, Wed	11,946	0.0%	0.0%
Vista	Wkly, Th	35,270	0.1%	0.3%
Vrystaat Kroon	F	12,302	-0.3%	0.8%
Vukani	Wkly, Wed	78,056	0.0%	0.0%
Vuk'uzenzele	Mtly	849,950	0.1%
Weskus Nuus	F	14,995	0.0%	0.1%
Xpress Times	Wkly, Wed	21,947	-0.2%	-0.1%
Ystervark	Wkly, Th	7,925	0.0%	0.3%
Zululand Eyethu (formerly Eshowe Watch)	Mtly	11,849	0.0%	0.0%

Newspapers ABC Q2 2022: Local and Free newspapers steady the ship

Danette Breitenbach 16 Aug 2022

Karabo Ledwaba

About Karabo Ledwaba

Karabo Ledwaba is a Marketing and Media Editor at Bizcommunity and award-winning journalist. Before joining the publication she worked at Sowetan as a content producer and reporter. She was also responsible for the leadership page at SMag, Sowetan's lifestyle magazine. Contact her at karabo@bizcommunity.com