Newspapers News South Africa

Newspapers ABC Q2 2020: Newspapers reflect the 'new normal'

The second quarter of 2020, the period April to June 2020, has mirrored the chaos caused by Covid-19 on the newspaper industry. As a result, only a third of publications submitted circulation data to the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC).
Newspapers ABC Q2 2020: Newspapers reflect the 'new normal'

For this quarter, publishers were given the option by the ABC Board not to submit circulation data if they felt that their circulation had been materially impacted. As a result, a decision regarding the 'normal' submission of data from the next period (July to September 2020) will be made by the ABC Board.

Daily newspapers

Only seven out of 27 daily newspapers submitted circulation data. Of these, only one increased on the previous quarter and the prior year. Daily Ugandan newspaper, Bukedde, increased its circulation on the previous quarter and prior year. Apart from Bukedde, all the other dailies that submitted data decreased both on the previous quarter and prior year - like Bukedde, these are all from outside of South Africa (Zambia Daily Mail, Times of Swaziland and The Namibian). However, the biggest loses in circulation were from two local dailies, Daily Nation and New Vision.

Publication nameFrequencyTotal circulation% change quarter% change year
Daily NationMD, Mo-Sat69,379-31.4%-32.4%
BukeddeMD, Mo-Sat41,14122.9%15.2%
Namibian, TheMD, Mo-Fr20,922-22.6%-33.7%
Times of SwazilandMD, Mo-Fr17,985-9.5%-11.6%
New VisionMD, Mo-Fr17,331-26.4%-29.5%
Taifa LeoMD, Mo-Sat6,768-39.3%-38.8%
Zambia Daily MailMD, Mo-Sat5,215-13.7%-16.3%
Beeld, DailyMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Burger, Die DailyMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Business DayMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Cape ArgusMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Cape TimesMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Citizen, The (Daily)MD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Daily DispatchMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Daily MonitorMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Daily NewsMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Daily SunMo-FrNo Submission
Diamond Fields AdvertiserMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Herald, TheMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
IsolezweMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Mercury, TheMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Pretoria NewsMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Son (Daily)MD, Mo-FrNo Submission
SowetanMo-FrNo Submission
Star, TheMD, Mo-FrNo Submission
Volksblad - DailyMo-FrNo Submission
Witness, TheMD, Mo-FrNo Submission

Weekly newspapers

Of the 10 weekly newspapers in this category, only three submitted circulation data. Of these, all three - The Voice, The Mmegi Reporter and The Monitor - saw declining circulation on the prior year. The Voice also saw a decline on the previous quarter.

Publication nameFrequencyTotal circulation% change quarter% change year
Voice, TheWkly, Fr8,435-35.3%-41.9%
Lesotho TimesWkly, Th5,611-18.9%-25.3%
Mmegi Reporter, The4xW, Tu-Fr5,524-51.6%
The Monitor (Formerly Mmegi Monitor)Wkly, Mon4,014-53.1%
Botswana Gazette , TheWkly, WedNo Submission
Burger, Die FridayWkly, FrNo Submission
Ilanga2xW, Mo&ThNo Submission
Mail & GuardianWkly, FrNo Submission
Post, TheWkly, WedNo Submission
Soccer LadumaWkly, WedNo Submission

Weekend newspapers

The category saw one discontinuation, Son op Sondag, with none of the local weekend newspapers submitting data. The four weekend newspapers that did submit circulation data were all from outside of South Africa.

Publication nameFrequencyTotal circulation% change quarter% change year
Sunday NationWkly, Sun87,459-20.5%-20.3%
Sunday VisionWkly, Sun11,281-16.4%-23.9%
Taifa JumapiliWkly, Sun6,651-27.8%-26.8%
Sunday MailWkly, Sun3,458-8.2%-26.1%
Beeld, SaturdayWkly, SatNo Submission
Burger, Die SaturdayWkly, SatNo Submission
Citizen, The (Saturday)Wkly, SatNo Submission
City PressWkndNo Submission
Daily Dispatch Weekend Edition (formerly Saturday Dispatch)WkndNo Submission
Ilanga LangesontoWkndNo Submission
Independent on SaturdayWkly, SatNo Submission
Isolezwe ngeSontoWkly, SunNo Submission
Isolezwe ngoMgqibeloWkly, SatNo Submission
Pretoria News SaturdayWkly, SatNo Submission
RapportWkndNo Submission
Saturday Star, TheWkly, SatNo Submission
Sunday MonitorWkndNo Submission
Sunday SunWkndNo Submission
Sunday TimesWkndNo Submission
Sunday TribuneWkly, SunNo Submission
Sunday WorldWkndNo Submission
The Southern CrossWkly, SunNo Submission
Volksblad - SaturdayWkly, SatNo Submission
Weekend ArgusWkndNo Submission
Weekend PostWkndNo Submission
Weekend WitnessWkly, SatNo Submission
Son op Sondag (formerly Sondag Son)Wkly, SunDiscontinued

Local newspapers

Publication nameFrequencyTotal circulation% change quarter% change year
George Herald (Thursday)Wkly, Th8,341-37.7%-37.2%
VaalweekbladWkly, Th5,0179.9%-8.2%
Mosselbay AdvertiserWkly, Fr4,412-29.4%-28.5%
Limpopo MirrorWkly, Fr4,000-38.5%-39.3%
South Cape Forum/Suid Kaap ForumWkly, Th2,019-34.5%-38.6%
Knysna Plett HeraldWkly, Th1,547-27.9%-33.0%
Graaff Reinet AdvertiserWkly, Th1,197-5.5%-21.8%
Oudtshoorn CourantWkly, Fr1,169-15.5%-23.8%
The CourierWkly, Fr1,1260.0%16.6%
African ReporterWkly, FrNo Submission
Bosvelder ReviewWkly, FrNo Submission
Brits PosWkly, ThNo Submission
Capricorn VoiceWkly, WedNo Submission
Daller, DieWkly, FrNo Submission
Die NoordwesterWkly, FrNo Submission
District MailWkly, ThNo Submission
Estcourt and Midlands NewsWkly, FrNo Submission
GemsbokWkly, WedNo Submission
Hermanus TimesWkly, ThNo Submission
Klerksdorp RekordWkly, FrNo Submission
Ladysmith GazetteWkly, FrNo Submission
Lowvelder, The / Laevelder, Die ( Tuesday)Wkly, TueNo Submission
Lowvelder, The / Laevelder, Die (Friday)Wkly, FrNo Submission
Mid South Coast MailWkly, FrNo Submission
Middelburg Observer, FriWkly, FrNo Submission
Mpumalanga NewsWkly, ThNo Submission
Newcastle and District AdvertiserWkly, FrNo Submission
Northern Natal CourierWkly, FrNo Submission
Northern Review WeekendWkly, FrNo Submission
Paarl PostWkly, ThNo Submission
RepresentativeWkly, FrNo Submission
Rustenburg HeraldWkly, ThNo Submission
South Coast HeraldWkly, FrNo Submission
StellalanderWkly, WedNo Submission
StreeknuusWkly, FrNo Submission
Streeknuus DelmasWkly, FrNo Submission
Talk of the TownWkly, FrNo Submission
TembisanWkly, ThNo Submission
The MailWkly, ThNo Submission
Vryheid HeraldWkly, FrNo Submission
Weslander, TheWkly, ThNo Submission
Witbank News, FriWkly, FrNo Submission
Worcester StandardWkly, ThNo Submission
Zululand Observer MondayWkly, MonNo Submission
Zululand Observer Weekend (Formerly Friday)Wkly, FrNo Submission
Carletonville HeraldWkly, FrChanged Sector
Potchefstroom HeraldWkly, FrChanged Sector

The category saw nine data submissions and one changed sector (out of 47). The Courier maintained its circulation on the previous quarter and increased slightly on the prior year, while the Vaalweekblad increased on the previous quarter, but decreased on the prior year. All the other submissions showed decreases on the previous quarter and prior year. The George Herald (Thursday) and Limpopo Mirror showed some of the biggest losses in the category.

Free newspapers

Fifty out of 202 free newspapers submitted circulation data for this period for this category. There were 18 discontinuations, two rebrands and two new members. Notables include Taxi Times and Rosebank Killarney Gazette with an increase on the previous quarter and prior year, while South Coast Fever, Randburg Sun, Maritzburg Fever and Sandton Chronicle showed a decrease on the previous quarter and prior year.

Publication namePeriodFrequencyTotal circulation% change quarter% change year
Taxi TimesApr -JunF149,97592.3%20.9%
Sedibeng SterApr -JunWkly, Th91,0000.0%0.0%
Tame Times - WeeklyApr -JunWkly, Tue79,98810.4%-6.7%
Phoenix TabloidApr -JunWkly, Tue54,344-2.9%-2.9%
Kathorus MailApr -JunF52,939-0.8%-2.8%
Chatsworth TabloidApr -JunWkly, Wed50,231-4.3%-4.3%
The Springfield Weekly GazetteApr -JunWkly, Th48,480-3.0%-3.0%
Roodepoort RecordApr -JunWkly, Th46,553-7.7%-8.3%
Kempton ExpressApr -JunWkly, Th45,714-16.3%-16.8%
Maritzburg EchoApr -JunWkly, Th41,666-29.9%-29.9%
Ster, SouthApr -JunWkly, Tue41,5008.0%0.1%
Randburg SunApr -JunWkly, Th41,473-30.3%-30.5%
Ethekwini TimesApr -JunWkly, Fr40,9800.0%0.0%
Umlazi TimesApr -JunWkly, Th40,9800.0%0.0%
Bedfordview & Edenvale NewsApr -JunWkly, Wed38,845-14.4%-15.0%
Sandton ChronicleApr -JunWkly, Wed35,423-28.8%-28.8%
Boksburg AdvertiserApr -JunWkly, Tue34,986-19.5%-19.5%
Tongaat & Verulam Tabloid (former Northern Star)Apr -JunWkly, Tue34,9800.0%0.0%
Southern CourierApr -JunWkly, Tue34,555-12.2%-12.4%
Alberton RecordApr -JunWkly, Wed34,051-10.6%-11.0%
Fourways ReviewApr -JunWkly, Wed33,266-9.4%-9.8%
Ster, NorthApr -JunWkly, Tue32,8007.7%0.0%
Southern StarApr -JunWkly, Fr31,9800.0%0.0%
Benoni City TimesApr -JunWkly, Tue31,948-17.5%-17.6%
Rosebank Killarney GazetteApr -JunWkly, Tue31,04821.6%18.3%
Issue MangaungApr -JunWkly, Wed29,9500.1%0.2%
Rising Sun LenasiaApr -JunWkly, Wed27,941-15.1%-15.1%
Krugersdorp NewsApr -JunWkly, Wed26,976-10.7%-10.6%
Roodepoort Northsider (FormerlyNorthside ChronicleApr -JunWkly, Th26,197-9.5%-9.8%
Germiston City NewsApr -JunWkly, Tue24,292-19.3%-19.5%
Stanger WeeklyApr -JunWkly, Wed24,104-19.4%-19.4%
Coastal WeeklyApr -JunWkly, Th24,037-18.7%-18.7%
South Coast FeverApr -JunWkly, Th23,461-32.9%-32.6%
Northcliff & Melville TimesApr -JunWkly, Tue21,929-25.8%-28.2%
Issue, Eastern Free StateApr -JunWkly, Th21,9000.0%0.0%
Midrand ReporterApr -JunWkly, Th21,820-22.0%-22.9%
Randfontein / Westonaria Herald.Apr -JunWkly, Tue18,349-6.3%-6.5%
Comaro ChronicleApr -JunWkly, Wed18,312-12.1%-11.8%
Hillcrest Fever (formerly Forest Express)Apr -JunWkly, Tue17,986-9.1%-9.8%
Potchefstroom Herald.Apr -JunWkly, Fr16,975
Brakpan HeraldApr -JunWkly, Tue16,432-13.4%-13.3%
Carletonville Herald.Apr -JunWkly, Fr11,975
Maritzburg Fever (formerly Mirror, The)Apr -JunWkly, Wed10,416-70.2%-70.2%
Eastern Cape Rising SunApr -JunWkly, Tue9,947-76.8%-76.6%
Amanzimtoti Fever (formerly Uppercoast Fever)Apr -JunWkly, Wed9,943-33.0%-33.1%
Alex NewsApr -JunWkly, Th9,790-50.4%-50.4%
Greytown GazetteApr -JunWkly, Mon8,9000.0%-2.7%
Maseru MetroApr -JunWkly, Th8,046-77.0%
Parys GazetteApr -JunWkly, Fr7,5000.1%0.1%
Die Ghaap - Kimberly GazetteApr -JunF5,000-37.5%-37.5%
The Weekly Free StateApr -JunWkly, Th4,9500.0%
Inner City GazetteApr -JunWkly, Th4,936-0.5%-0.8%
Free State SunApr -JunWkly, Th4,7500.0%0.0%
CXpressApr -JunWkly, Wed2,495-74.8%-74.8%

*Does not include newspapers with no submission or which has been discontinued

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.
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