ABC Q4 2024: Last quarter cements a mixed bag for 2024 for newspapers

ABC Q4 2024: Last quarter cements a mixed bag for 2024 for newspapers


The release of the ABC circulation figures for newspapers for the last quarter of 2024 (Q4) shows what a mixed bag the year has been for newspapers.

The ABC Q4 2024 figures have been released. Image by Lesley Svenson, Bizcommunity.

Starting the year off relatively stable with only a 1.6% decrease in circulation from the previous quarter to this quarter in Q1, newspapers slipped into a double figure decline in Q2 of almost 14%.

The category then rebounded in Q3, with a quiet quarter. This quarter Q4, 2024, continues with the general trend of declining circulations.

This trend is unavoidable as digital and alternative information sources continue to grow and as the media landscape continues to shift.

What remains to be seen is if this slow decline will stabilise or continue to trickle away.

Daily Newspapers

This quarter also had only seven dailies with increases on the previous quarter, half of the 14 with increases in Q3 2024.

More dailies showed better increases in Q3 on the previous quarter with the highest increase at nearly 17% as opposed to this quarter, Q4, where the highest increase is only 2.6%.

The average total for the Daily category shows a decline on the previous quarter and the prior year.

Increases on the previous quarter were between 2.4 and 2.6% for Volkblad, The Herald and The Witness. These were the best for the quarterly figures.

Volksblad turned its fortunes around, from its 2.7% decline in Q3 on the previous quarter. The same is true for The Herlad turning an 11% decline in Q3 into an increase on this quarter.

The Witness maintained its upward trajectory from Q3 (where it had an 11.9% increase on the previous quarter) in Q4.

Also up on the previous quarter are The Burger, Daily, Sowetan, The Citizen, and The Star.

The Herald and Sowetan were also up on the prior year.

The Daily Dispatch up on the prior year, continued its upward momentum from Q3 2024 on the prior year. However, on the previous quarter, it shows a decrease of 3.7%. In Q3 it had a healthy 5.5% increase.

Publication Frequency Paid circulation Free circulation Total circulation % change quarter % change year
Daily Nation MD, Mo-Sat 52,611 52,611 -5.6% -6.2%
Burger, Die Daily MD, Mo-Fr 25,199 634 25,833 2.2% -1.1%
Beeld, Daily MD, Mo-Fr 17,720 387 18,107 -3.4% -4.8%
Bukedde MD, Mo-Sat 17,443 17,443 -11.5% -8.2%
Isolezwe MD, Mo-Fr 15,916 2,328 18,244 -8.5% -4.1%
New Vision MD, Mo-Fr 15,201 100 15,301 -4.8% -1.9%
Sowetan MD, Mo-Fr 13,211 5,670 18,881 2.2% 5.6%
Citizen, The (Daily) MD, Mo-Fr 11,228 9,596 20,824 0.1% -9.1%
Daily Dispatch MD, Mo-Fr 10,444 270 10,714 -3.7% 6.2%
Business Day MD, Mo-Fr 10,171 2,736 12,907 -2.0% -5.1%
Herald, The MD, Mo-Fr 10,036 500 10,536 2.5% 5.1%
Times of Swaziland MD, Mo-Fr 9,814 9,814 -1.8% -17.1%
Daily Sun MD, Mo-Fr 9,569 197 9,766 -8.4% -22.6%
Mercury, The MD, Mo-Fr 4,925 3,579 8,504 -4.9% -6.2%
Witness, The MD, Mo-Fr 4,790 1,355 6,145 2.4% -2.7%
Star, The MD, Mo-Fr 4,196 16,179 20,375 0.7% 14.2%
Volksblad MD, Mo-Fr 3,872 3,872 2.6%
Daily News MD, Mo-Fr 3,464 3,586 7,050 -4.1% -1.6%
Cape Times MD, Mo-Fr 3,007 4,754 7,761 -7.7% -15.6%
Cape Argus MD, Mo-Fr 2,309 5,803 8,112 -5.8% -5.4%
Total 245,126 57,674 302,800 -3.4% -2.9%

Weekly newspapers

Only two of the eight weeklies had increased on the previous quarter. In Q3 five of the eight saw increases on the previous quarter. This accounts for the average total of the category of declines of almost 10% on the previous quarter and nearly 18% on the prior year.

Of the two with increases this quarter, Daily Maverick was the best with 7.6%, and also the only weekly to increase on the prior year. Its positive figures build on its Q3 figures.

The only other weekly to increase on the previous quarter is The Son Weekly increasing by 2.3%.

The declines for the weeklies were quite substantial both for the previous quarter and the prior year with many in double figures.

Soccer Laduma’s declines on the prior year mirror its decline in Q3, which are in the negative 30%.

Publication Frequency Paid circulation Free circulation Total circulation % change quarter % change year
Soccer Laduma Wkly, Wed 33,575 2 33,577 -14.5% -30.3%
Ilanga 2xW, Mo&Th 20,649 20,649 -19.8% -16.0%
SON Weekly Wkly, Th 18,059 49 18,108 2.3% -7.7%
Post, The Wkly, Wed 12,185 3,533 15,718 -3.5% -0.3%
Daily Maverick, Wkly, Sat 10,557 1,402 11,959 7.6% 15.8%
Voice, The Wkly, Fr 5,371 5,371 -8.7% -16.2%
Mail & Guardian Wkly, Fr 4,897 4,897 -10.2% -36.1%
Lesotho Times Wkly, Th 4,548 159 4,707 -24.4% -31.9%
Total 109,841 5,145 114,986 -9.9% -17.6%
Image by Lesley Svenson, Bizcommunity. The ABC Q3 2024 figures have been released

Weekend newspapers

This category showed a 7% average decline on the previous quarter and an 18.3% decline on the prior year.

As with the Weekies category, there was not much good news in the Weekend category with only three weekend newspapers showing an increase on the previous quarter (in Q3, six newspapers had increased on the previous quarter).

The only publication showing increases on the previous quarter and the prior year is Weekend Witness.

Publication Frequency Paid circulation Free circulation Total circulation % change quarter % change year
Sunday Nation Wkly, Sun 55,848 55,848 -1.5% -4.7%
Rapport Wknd 53,213 1,312 54,525 0.6% -5.1%
Sunday Times Wknd 53,053 4,128 57,181 -3.2% -8.1%
Burger, Die Saturday Wkly, Sat 32,218 633 32,851 -1.3% -5.0%
Beeld, Saturday Wkly, Sat 21,065 221 21,286 -3.4% -7.5%
Isolezwe ngeMpelaSonto Wkly, Sat 17,904 2 17,906 -5.6% -14.0%
Weekend Vision Wkly, Sun 12,491 100 12,591 -23.3% 22.2%
Sunday Tribune Wkly, Sun 11,201 4,278 15,479 -3.0% -7.3%
Sunday World Wknd 10,676 2,600 13,276 -9.6% -11.6%
City Press Wknd 9,995 1,231 11,226 3.0% -11.5%
Citizen, The (Saturday) Wkly, Sat 6,435 82 6,517 -3.0% -19.0%
Weekend Witness Wkly, Sat 4,307 1,563 5,870 6.4% 3.6%
Weekend Argus Wknd 3,099 5,029 8,128 -4.0% -11.9%
Independent on Saturday Wkly, Sat Resigned
Saturday Star, The Wkly, Sat Resigned
Daily Dispatch Weekend Edition (formerly Saturday Dispatch) Wknd Ceased publishing
Ilanga LempelaSonto Wknd Ceased publishing
Weekend Post Wknd Ceased Publishing
Total 291,505 21,179 312,684 -7.0% -18.3%

Local newspapers

As is often the case, local newspapers provided some relief with a small average increase on the previous quarter of 0.3% and a huge increase on the prior year of over 61%.

This is good news as Q3 did not have much to cheer about. In Q4 there were some healthy increases ranging from just over 32% on the previous quarter for Newcastle Advertiser to over 20% for Vryheid Herald.

Also in double-figure increases on the previous quarter are Courier, Ladysmith Gazette and Talk of the Town.

Of these, all of them showed declines on the previous quarter in Q3, except for Ladysmith Gazette which had shown an increase on the previous quarter in Q3.

Increases on the prior year ranged from over 40% to just over 3%.

Publication Frequency Paid circulation Free circulation Total circulation % change quarter % change year
African Reporter Wkly, Fr 13,266 13,266 0.4% -1.5%
George Herald (Thursday) Wkly, Th 8,198 8,198 0.5% -2.7%
Weslander, The Wkly, Th 5,712 343 6,055 6.4% 40.6%
Paarl Post Wkly, Th 5,667 99 5,766 3.6% 5.8%
The Kokstad Advertiser Wkly, Th 5,126 5,812 10,938 1.5%
South Coast Herald incorporating Ugu District Wkly, Th 4,666 1,200 5,866 -1.1%
Zululand Observer Weekend (Formerly Friday) Wkly, Th 3,758 490 4,248 -0.5% -9.6%
Lowvelder Wkly, Th 3,317 15,028 18,345 0.2%
Mosselbay Advertiser Wkly, Fr 3,262 3,262 1.1% -9.6%
Observer Middelburg Wkly, Fr 3,245 15,457 18,702 0.9% 4.4%
Limpopo Mirror Wkly, Fr 3,138 156 3,294 -1.7% -9.7%
Witbank News, Fri Wkly, Fr 2,844 18,015 20,859 -0.1% 3.2%
Zululand Observer Monday Wkly, Mon 1,867 320 2,187 1.6% -10.7%
Mpumalanga News Wkly, Wed 1,465 7,504 8,969 -1.0% 22.1%
Vaalweekblad Wkly, Th 1,316 1,316 -10.8% -54.1%
South Cape Forum/Suid Kaap Forum Wkly, Th 1,214 1,214 -11.1% -12.1%
Talk of the Town Wkly, Th 984 984 15.0% -4.6%
Newcastle Advertiser Wkly, Th 947 4,334 5,281 32.1%
Knysna Plett Herald Wkly, Th 945 945 -4.8% -9.7%
Courier Wkly, Th 836 1,486 2,322 12.8%
Observer Daller Wkly, Fr 828 677 1,505 -2.0%
Oudtshoorn Courant Wkly, Th 814 814 -4.5% -4.1%
Excelsior News / Nuus Wkly, Fr 763 2,031 2,794 1.0%
Ladysmith Gazette Wkly, Th 710 2,396 3,106 12.6%
Zoutpansberger Wkly, Th 699 804 1,503 -0.9%
Streeknuus Wkly, Fr 645 645 0.9% -22.2%
Graaff Reinet Advertiser Wkly, Th 534 534 -17.1% -21.0%
Vryheid Herald Wkly, Th 352 2,573 2,925 20.6%
South Coast Herald-Mid South Coast Edition Wkly, Wed 24 5,990 6,014 0.0%
Die Pos Wkly, Th No Submission
Total 77,142 84,715 161,857 0.3% 61.5%

Free newspapers

This category had an overall average decline of 0.4% on the previous quarter and a decline of over 16% on the prior year.

This year the general trend in this category has been a mixture of incremental increases and decreases on the previous quarter and prior year.

One exception this quarter is Herrie with an increase of nearly 20% on the previous quarter.

A highlight is Roodepoort Northsider (formerly Northside Chronicle) which sees increases on the previous quarter and prior year of 6.3% and 7% respectively.

No movement (0.0%) has been a hallmark of this category this year and it continues into Q4.

Publication Frequency Total circulation % change quarter % change year
PE Express Wkly, Wed 120,204 0.0% 0.2%
Soweto Urban News Wkly, Th 109,100 0.0% 0.0%
Sedibeng Ster Wkly, Th 90,980 0.0% 0.0%
Plainsman Wkly, Wed 87,077 -2.9% -2.7%
City Vision Wkly, Th 85,000 0.0% 0.0%
Vukani Wkly, Wed 76,911 -1.6% -1.5%
Mthatha Express Wkly, Wed 70,002 0.0% 0.0%
Tabletalk Wkly, Wed 66,366 -2.4% -2.2%
Merebank & Chatsworth Tabloid Wkly, Wed 64,980 0.0% 0.0%
North Coast Rising Sun Wkly, Wed 64,800 0.0% -0.1%
Rekord Centurion Wkly, Wed 60,001 0.3% 0.3%
Phoenix Tabloid Wkly, Tue 55,980 0.0% 0.0%
Randburg Sun Wkly, Th 55,135 -8.2% -8.3%
Highway Mail Wkly, Fr 53,982 -0.1% -0.1%
Kathorus Mail F 53,605 -0.2% 0.2%
The Springfield Weekly Gazette Wkly, Th 53,480 0.0% 0.0%
Chatsworth Rising Sun Wkly, Tue 52,700 0.0% -0.7%
Athlone News Wkly, Wed 52,421 -3.4% -3.2%
Sandton Chronicle Wkly, Wed 50,185 0.2% 0.4%
Thembisan F 49,401 -0.5% 1.2%
Kempton Express Wkly, Th 48,583 -0.2% -0.2%
Southern Mail Wkly, Wed 47,363 -3.3% -3.0%
Roodepoort Record Wkly, Th 46,469 0.0% 0.0%
Southern Suburbs Tatler Wkly, Th 45,973 -2.9% -2.7%
Bloemfontein Courant (formerly Krant) Wkly, Th 44,890 0.0% 0.0%
Overport Rising Sun Wkly, Th 44,800 0.0% -0.1%
Bedfordview & Edenvale News Wkly, Wed 44,327 -1.0% -0.7%
Boksburg Advertiser Wkly, Tue 43,182 -0.1% 0.1%
Rekord Far East Wkly, Tue 42,914 0.4%
Ster, South Wkly, Tue 41,460 0.0% 0.0%
Rosebank Killarney Gazette Wkly, Tue 41,204 0.4% 0.3%
Bloemnuus Wkly, Th 41,094 0.5% 0.0%
Ethekwini Times Wkly, Fr 40,980 0.0% 0.0%
Umlazi Times Wkly, Th 40,980 0.0% 0.0%
Tygerburger Mitchells Plain Wkly, Wed 40,073 0.0%
Echo Eyethu Wkly, Th 39,948 0.0% 0.0%
Rekord North/Noord Wkly, Th 39,917 0.3% -0.1%
Benoni City Times Wkly, Th 38,829 0.0% 0.2%
Fourways Review Wkly, Wed 38,152 3.7% 3.9%
Alberton Record Wkly, Wed 37,896 0.1% 0.7%
Helderberg Gazette & District Mail Wkly, Wed 37,125 0.4% 0.5%
Rekord East/Oos Wkly, Tue 35,893 0.2% -54.5%
Noordkaap Bulletin Wkly, Th 35,341 0.2% 0.2%
Tongaat & Verulam Tabloid (former Northern Star) Wkly, Tue 34,980 0.0% 0.0%
North Coast Courier Wkly, Wed 34,875 0.0% -0.2%
South Coast Fever Wkly, Th 34,800 0.0% 0.9%
Ridge Times Wkly, Tue 34,400 0.0% 0.0%
Go & Express Wkly, Th 33,681 0.0% -8.2%
Rekord Moot Wkly, Th 33,546 0.0% -0.1%
Ster, North Wkly, Tue 32,760 0.0% 0.0%
Northcliff & Melville Times Wkly, Tue 31,112 0.4% 1.0%
Constantiaberg Bulletin Wkly, Th 31,000 -1.4% -1.0%
Eyethu Bay Watch (Formerly Baywatch) Wkly, Wed 30,970 0.0% 1.6%
Standard Breederivier Gazette Wkly, Th 30,695 0.0% 2.4%
Vista Wkly, Th 30,243 -0.1% -14.2%
UD Express Wkly, Wed 30,139 0.0% 0.5%
Diamond Fields Advertiser Wkly, Fr 30,000 0.0% 0.0%
False Bay Echo Wkly, Th 29,989 -3.3% -2.9%
Rising Sun Lenasia Wkly, Wed 29,967 0.1% 0.1%
Maritzburg Sun Wkly, Wed 29,956 0.0% 0.0%
Public Eye Wkly, Th 29,952 0.0% 0.0%
Rekord Mamelodi Wkly, Fr 29,950 0.0% 0.0%
Issue Mangaung Wkly, Wed 29,900 0.0% 0.0%
Umlazi Eyethu Wkly, Th 29,881 0.0% 0.0%
Germiston City News Wkly, Tue 29,873 -0.5% 0.2%
Polokwane Observer. Wkly, Th 29,747 0.0% 0.0%
Midrand Reporter Wkly, Th 29,677 4.7% 4.8%
Atlantic Sun Wkly, Th 29,609 -4.2% -3.8%
Tygerburger Table View Wkly, Wed 29,078 0.0% -3.3%
Rekord Noweto F 28,950 0.0% 0.0%
Bolander Wkly, Wed 28,700 -6.2% -5.8%
Dolphin Coast Mail Wkly, Wed 28,421 -5.1% -5.1%
East Coast Mail Wkly, Wed 28,421 -5.1% -1.3%
Roodepoort Northsider (FormerlyNorthside Chronicle Wkly, Th 28,378 6.3% 7.0%
People s Post Athlone & Landsdowne Wkly, Tue 28,000 0.0% 0.0%
Northglen News Wkly, Fr 27,473 0.0% 0.1%
Berea Mail Wkly, Th 27,142 0.0% 0.0%
Krugersdorp News Wkly, Wed 26,475 0.1% 0.0%
Springs Advertiser Wkly, Th 25,771 -0.4% -0.7%
Southern Courier Wkly, Tue 25,228 -0.3% -0.6%
People s Post Woodstock & City Wkly, Tue 25,000 0.0% 0.0%
People s Post Grassy Park & Retreat Wkly, Tue 25,000 0.0% 0.0%
Eikestadnuus. Wkly, Th 24,180 0.6% 1.2%
Tygerburger Elsies-, Eersterivier & Ravensmead Wkly, Wed 24,077 0.1% -22.4%
Intshonalanga Eyethu Wkly, Wed 23,780 0.0% 0.0%
People s Post False Bay Wkly, Tue 22,000 0.0% 0.0%
Xpress Times Wkly, Wed 21,980 0.0% 0.0%
Issue, Eastern Free State Wkly, Th 21,900 0.0% 0.0%
Tygerburger Durbanville Wkly, Wed 21,861 0.4% -1.0%
Hermanus Times. Wkly, Wed 20,919 0.3% 0.4%
Comaro Chronicle Wkly, Wed 20,866 -0.3% 0.1%
Swartland Gazette (formerly Swartland Monitor). Wkly, Tue 20,507 0.4% 3.3%
Kouga Express Wkly, Th 20,319 0.1% 1.6%
Rekord West News/Wes Nuus F 20,200 0.0% -0.1%
Isolezwe IesiXhosa Mtly 20,000 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%
Bonus Review F 19,883 0.0% 0.0%
South Coast Sun Wkly, Fr 19,875 0.0% 0.1%
Express Wkly, Wed 19,871 -0.1% -33.9%
UGU Eyethu Wkly, Wed 19,850 0.0% 0.0%
Merebank Rising Sun Wkly, Tue 19,800 0.0% -0.3%
Mid South Coast Rising Sun Wkly, Tue 19,800 0.0% -0.3%
Lowvelder Express Wkly, Th 19,760 0.0%
Heidelberg/Nigel Heraut Wkly, Wed 19,364 -0.1% -3.1%
Tygerburger Bellville Wkly, Wed 19,349 0.3% -0.3%
Brakpan Herald Wkly, Fr 19,258 0.3% 0.5%
Tygerburger Kuilsrivier Wkly, Wed 18,612 0.0% -2.4%
Rekord Central/Sentraal F 18,500 0.0% 0.0%
Tygerburger Brackenfell Wkly, Wed 18,449 1.1% 1.2%
Randfontein / Westonaria Herald. Wkly, Tue 18,236 -0.1% -0.1%
TygerBurger De Grendel Wkly, Wed 18,104 0.0% -0.1%
Southlands Sun Wkly, Fr 17,737 -0.1% -0.1%
Steelburger News Wkly, Th 17,715 0.0% 0.1%
TygerBurger Tyger Valley Wkly, Wed 17,099 0.1% 0.1%
Potchefstroom Herald. Wkly, Fr 16,930 0.0% 0.0%
Tygerburger Milnerton Wkly, Wed 16,066 0.1% -5.9%
Northern Eyethu Mtly 15,888 0.0% 0.0%
Weskus Nuus F 15,611 1.0% 0.7%
Tygerburger Kraaifontein Wkly, Wed 15,129 0.3% -1.7%
Alex News F 14,790 0.0% 0.1%
Tygerburger Goodwood Wkly, Wed 14,100 0.1% 0.2%
Tygerburger Parow Wkly, Wed 14,089 0.1% 0.1%
Queensburgh News F 12,955 -0.4% -0.4%
Vrystaat Kroon F 12,386 -0.3% -0.5%
Carletonville Herald. Wkly, Fr 11,990 0.0% 0.0%
Zululand Eyethu (formerly Eshowe Watch) Mtly 11,972 0.0% 0.0%
Village Talk Wkly, Wed 11,946 0.0% 0.0%
Highvelder, The Wkly, Fr 11,790 0.0% 0.3%
Daily Sun On the GO – EC Wkly, Th 10,995 0.0% 0.0%
Uthukela Eyethu F 9,980 0.0% -0.1%
Greytown Gazette Wkly, Wed 9,885 0.0% -1.0%
Representative Wkly, Mon 9,816 -25.8% -47.5%
Hazyview Herald F 9,795 0.0% 0.0%
Herrie Wkly, Th 8,682 19.6% -22.0%
Daily Sun On the GO – FS Wkly, Th 7,995 0.0% 0.0%
Ystervark Wkly, Th 7,925 0.0% 0.0%
Corridor Express F 7,720 0.0%
Observer Express Wkly, Fr 7,715 0.0%
Parys Gazette Wkly, Fr 7,480 0.0% 0.0%
Sentinel News Wkly, Fr 7,265 0.0% 1.7%
Daily Sun On the GO – KZN Wkly, Th 5,995 0.0% 0.0%
Capricorn Voice .. Wkly, Wed 5,822 0.0% -1.0%
Daily Sun On the GO – WC Wkly, Th 4,995 0.0% 0.0%
Standerton Advertiser. Wkly, Th 4,983 4.9% 4.9%
The Hilton Mtly 4,960 0.0% 0.0%
Free State Sun Wkly, Th 4,937 -0.7% 0.0%
Polokwane Review Wkly, Wed 4,253 -11.8% -12.0%
Bosvelder Review Wkly, Th 2,873 0.0% 1.4%
Estcourt Wkly, Th 2,497 0.0% 3.2%
Corridor Gazette F 1,760 0.0% -81.9%
Mpumalanga Mirror F Terminated
Maluti News Wkly, Fr Resigned
People s Post Mitchells Plain Wkly, Tue Rebranded
Vuk’uzenzele Mtly No Submission
Total 4,501,263 -0.4% -16.3%

Tables by Andre Rademan © Bizcommunity



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