[LIST] Top 10 Biggest Selling Consumer Magazines in South Africa

It's been a dire period for magazine sales in South Africa this month. According to The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa consumer-magazine circulation statistics for the period January-March 2016 (ABC Q1 2016) sales have dropped. 

Circulation has fallen to 5 154 329 from 5 720 107 in the previous corresponding reporting period (but up from 5 081 637 in the previous quarter). Single-copy sales stand at 3 329 935 (down from 3 247 608 in Q4 2015) and total paid (which includes subscription figures) stand at 4 011 107 (up from 3 939 098 in Q4 2015). Paid-for digital copy sales stand at 76 638 (down from 77 365 in Q4 2015).

Custom magazines have seen an overall circulation decline to 7 391 626 from 9 789 535 in the corresponding previous reporting period. Single-copy sales in this category stand at 84 272, and total paid for circulation at 1 814 263. 

Let's look at the figures. It is decline all way round. 

• People has continued its circulation decline by falling to 55 074 from 68 017. 

• TV Plus (Afrikaans) is down to 35 384 from 36 956, while the English edition has grown slightly to 35 060 from 34 380.

• Bona is down to 79 391 from 91 521 

• Drum has fallen to 78 521 from 100 388

• Huisgenoot to 230 766 from 252 334 

• YOU to 125 346 from 138 693

• Destiny Magazine is down to 26 560 from 28 570 (total free: 9 156)

• Destiny Man is down to 14 642 from 16 562 (total free: 4 886) — it has increased frequency in the interim from alternate monthly to monthly. 

• Blaque Magazine falls to 9 761 from 15 563 after changing its frequency from monthly to quarterly.

• GQ is down to 24 197 from 26 015 (total free: 7 794). 

• Hype has grown to 14 482 from 13 616 (total free: 4 991)

• Cosmopolitan has declined to 51 948 from 61 556 (total free: 8 988)

• Glamour to 50 879 from 58 863 (total free:  8 077) 

• Elle to 25 400 from 31 868 (total free: 3 873) 

• Fair Lady has fallen to 43 196 from 49 697

Top 10 list of the biggest selling Magazines in SA

1. Huisgenoot: 230 766
2. YOU: 125 346
3. Move!: 102 127 
4. Kuier: 101 994 
5. Woman and Home: 92 574
6. Rooi Rose: 90 689  
7. Tuis/Home: 78 931 
8. Drum: 78 521 
9. Bona: 79 391 
10. CAR: 77 175  

Overview

Bonang Matheba's May cover with Grazia will likely up their sales in the second. I'd like to think Lerato Kganyago's controversial June cover with True Love will also up their sale but I am a little sceptical. Much of the content of the issue were shared on social media and a fails to see how people would have rushed to buy it if they read all about it's content online. But I could be wrong. 

These figures show that 2016 hasn't been a great year for print media. Could this be the firts step to the demise of magazines in SA? Have digital platform taken away the will for people to buy magazine? 

Magazine will always be part of lives so I don't see Caxton and Media2 shutting their doors anytime soon but known magazine brands are in trouble. When advertisers start losing interest they would have no choice but to stop print. Who would have thought famous brands like FHM and the O Magazine could ever be cancelled?!