Magazines
ABC Q1 2025: Magazines tenacious as custom magazines lead the way
Danette Breitenbach 22 May 2025
ABC Q2 2025: All magazine categories show growth
Building on the resilience they showed in Q1 2025, the total magazine Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) circulation for April to June 2025 (Quarter 2) shows a meaningful growth of 3.2% in the quarter and 6% year on year.
21 Aug 2025
The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa (ABC) circulation figures for Q2 2025 for magazines have been released (Image: Bizcommunity)
All magazine categories showed growth quarter on quarter.
The latest ABC newspaper and magazine circulation figures, released today, Thursday 21 August, show both magazines and newspapers growing by over 3% in the second quarter of 2025.
“In total, magazine and newspaper circulation grew 3.1% quarter-on-quarter and 1.3% year-on-year to 8.5 million, reflecting a much more stable baseline following recent declines and title closures,” says Andrew Gill, president of the ABC, in a release.
Consumer magazines
In total, the consumer category showed a 5.6% increase on the previous quarter but an 11.5% decrease on the prior year.
After a depressing Q1 2025, the farming sector bounced back to its Q4 2024 performance with good increases by Farmer Weekly which had increases on both the previous quarter and the prior year, and Grond tot Mond and Marktoe! on the previous quarter and prior year respectively.
Forbes Africa had increases on both the previous quarter and the prior year, Plus 50 had a double-digit increase on the previous quarter, and GQ showed a double-digit increase on the prior year.
New members include Farm.co.za (Farming), Men’s Health, and Women’s Health (Women’s General).
| Arts, Culture and Heritage | |||||
| Publication | Frequency | Free circulation | Total circulation | % change quarter | % change year |
| Jewish Life | Mtly | 8,435 | 8,435 | -0.2% | -0.2% |
| Business and News | |||||
| BusinessBrief | AltM | 1,632 | 29,723 | -1.5% | -3.6% |
| Fast Company | Q | 1,328 | 1,908 | No Issue | -16.6% |
| Financial Mail | Wkly, Th | 2,549 | 17,388 | -2.6% | -3.2% |
| Forbes Africa.: | AltM | 5,231 | 12,765 | 18.6% | 12.1% |
| SA Real Estate Investor Magazine | Mtly | 15,553 | 15,553 | 1.3% | -4.5% |
| The Big Issue Magazine | 11xA | 548 | 4,134 | -12.1% | -15.1% |
| Communications | |||||
| The Little issue | Q | 0 | No Issue | ||
| Conservation and Wildlife | |||||
| African Birdlife.: | AltM | 149 | 5,940 | -32.7% | -22.5% |
| Family Interest | |||||
| Huisgenoot | Wkly, Th | 1,708 | 69,716 | -4.1% | -14.5% |
| LIG | Q | 0 | Resigned | ||
| Plus 50 .: | 6xA | 256 | 3,840 | 49.5% | -29.1% |
| You | Wkly, Th | 1,563 | 33,621 | -1.4% | -12.3% |
| Farming | |||||
| Farm.co.za | AltM | 8,155 | 8,155 | New Member | |
| Farmer's Weekly | Wkly, Fr | 2,336 | 6,538 | 32.5% | 18.5% |
| Grond tot Mond.: | Q | 24,278 | 24,278 | 38.0% | -16.3% |
| Landbouweekblad | F | 137 | 11,676 | -5.7% | -16.6% |
| Marktoe! | Mtly | 14,655 | 14,655 | -21.7% | 12.4% |
| Health & Wellbeing | |||||
| Grow to Eat.: | 3xA | 400 | 10,276 | No Issue | -5.5% |
| Home | |||||
| Conde Nast House & Garden | 6xA | 2,348 | 7,330 | No Issue | -34.0% |
| Essential Flavours | Q | 6,453 | 8,028 | -3.4% | -5.9% |
| Food&Home Magazine | Q | 5,053 | 14,611 | -0.4% | -0.4% |
| Lose It,.: | 6xA | 0 | 4,523 | No Issue | -33.2% |
| SA Home Owner | 11xA | 3,968 | 14,793 | -3.0% | -5.8% |
| Sarie Kos / Food.: | Q | 40 | 9,301 | -2.9% | -22.9% |
| The Gardener / Die Tuinier | Mtly | 4,373 | 27,099 | -17.6% | 1.6% |
| Tuis Home.: | 8xA | 1,883 | 52,882 | 1.2% | -2.9% |
| Visi.: | 6xA | 962 | 8,399 | -12.0% | -12.5% |
| Leisure | |||||
| Joburg Style | 3xA | 8,900 | 8,900 | New Member | |
| Let’s Braai / Kom ons Braai (former The Ultimate Braai).: | Ann | 0 | Rebranded | ||
| Wanted | Mtly | 15,325 | 15,325 | New Member | |
| YourLuxury Africa | Mtly | 19,798 | 19,798 | 0.8% | 7.6% |
| Male | |||||
| GQ...: | 6xA | 2,581 | 4,191 | No Issue | 44.6% |
| Men's Health.. | AltM | 3,342 | 10,104 | 5.9% | New Member |
| Motoring | |||||
| Car | Mtly | 2,853 | 23,955 | 0.2% | -26.1% |
| Driven Magazine | Mtly | 5,990 | 5,990 | -2.2% | -14.7% |
| Parenting | |||||
| Baba & Kleuter | Q | 0 | No Issue | ||
| Baby's and Beyond.: | Q | 12,958 | 13,315 | -3.4% | 2.7% |
| Your Pregnancy and Baby | AltM | 1,468 | 4,943 | 4.5% | -14.7% |
| Sport and Hobby | |||||
| Compleat Golfer | Mtly | 3,539 | 5,847 | No Issue | -2.0% |
| SA Rugby | Mtly | 563 | 2,789 | 0.6% | -49.6% |
| Travel, Tourism & Hospitality | |||||
| Cape Etc..: | 3xA | 5,037 | 7,357 | 0.2% | -5.4% |
| Getaway | Mtly | 868 | 7,852 | 0.4% | -29.0% |
| go! Drive & Camp and Weg! Ry & Sleep.: | AltM | 442 | 23,463 | 7.7% | 9.6% |
| Inbound SA | Mtly | 9,910 | 9,910 | -0.3% | -0.2% |
| Weg / Go Platteland.: | Q | 0 | 15,490 | 6.7% | -6.7% |
| Weg/Go.: | AltM | 1,531 | 34,357 | -5.4% | -15.9% |
| Woman's General | |||||
| BONA Magazine | Mtly | 625 | 11,053 | 1.9% | -16.3% |
| Fairlady.: | AltM | 2,568 | 24,568 | -1.1% | -0.5% |
| Garden & Home Magazine | Mtly | 0 | No Issue | ||
| Glamour,.: | 6xA | 4,339 | 5,500 | No Issue | -48.0% |
| Kuier | F | 1,083 | 34,307 | -4.0% | -14.5% |
| Rooi Rose Magazine, | Mtly | 5,393 | 24,386 | -1.8% | -10.2% |
| Sarie.: | AltM | 1,662 | 47,162 | 5.0% | -7.3% |
| True Love.: | Q | 120 | 6,840 | -7.1% | -20.7% |
| Women & Home Magazine | Mtly | 4,191 | 19,464 | 0.0% | -5.1% |
| Women's Health.. | AltM | 2,544 | 10,288 | 2.4% | New Member |
| Total | 231,623 | 822,721 | 5.6% | -11.5% |
B2B magazines
This category had an excellent quarter with an increase of 3.7% overall on the previous quarter and a 4.8% increase on the prior year.
It was good news for the majority of the sectors, with increases on the previous quarter for at least one, if not more, publications in each sector.
Publications with double digit growth on the previous quarter and the prior year include Pharmacy Mag (previously Front Shop), Engineering News & Mining Weekly, Top Women Leader, Top 500: South Africa’s Best Managed Companies and Fire Protection.
The Engineering – Other sector’s good performance from Q1 2025 dipped slightly, with only three publications increasing on the previous quarter.
The Health & Wellness and the Management sectors also continued their good performance from the previous quarter.
The Industry and the Communications sectors had no increases on the previous quarter
| Agricultural | |||||
| Publication | Frequency | Free circulation | Total circulation | % change quarter | % change year |
| OVK Nuus/News.: | 4xA | 4,770 | 4,770 | 0.0% | -0.1% |
| SA Graan / Grain | Mtly | 20,628 | 20,628 | 4.0% | 3.3% |
| Stockfarm | Mtly | 0 | Resigned | ||
| Veeplaas | Mtly | 0 | Resigned | ||
| Wineland | Mtly | 2,863 | 2,900 | -8.3% | -8.1% |
| Architecture | |||||
| Floors in Africa, | 7xA | 12,072 | 12,072 | 0.1% | -8.8% |
| Leading Architect & Design.: | 6xA | 5,279 | 5,283 | -0.2% | 6.2% |
| SA Building Review.: | Ann | 0 | No Issue | ||
| To Build.: | 4xA | 8,004 | 9,846 | -0.1% | 0.3% |
| Walls & Roofs in Africa, | 7xA | 12,072 | 12,072 | 0.1% | -8.8% |
| Automotive | |||||
| SA Treads | Q | 0 | No Issue | ||
| Civil Construction | |||||
| Civil Engineering.; | Mtly | 14,693 | 14,701 | 2.9% | 0.8% |
| Construction World | Mtly | 16,627 | 16,627 | 3.0% | -2.5% |
| IMIESA | 10xA | 10,674 | 10,674 | -0.1% | 2.3% |
| Communications | |||||
| SA Profile.: | Ann | 0 | No Issue | ||
| Service | Q | 4,966 | 4,966 | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Electrical Engineering | |||||
| Electricity & Control | Mtly | 10,126 | 10,126 | 9.2% | -3.9% |
| ESI Africa.: | 2xA | 4,783 | 4,783 | No Issue | -0.3% |
| Sparks Electrical News | Mtly | 14,432 | 14,432 | -0.9% | -2.9% |
| Engineering - Other | |||||
| Capital Equipment News | Mtly | 11,979 | 11,979 | -5.0% | -11.8% |
| Dataweek | Mtly | 2,769 | 2,769 | -5.8% | -2.2% |
| Go2Energy Technical Journal, | 2xA | 3,101 | 3,101 | No Issue | -70.1% |
| MechChem Africa..: | AltM | 10,702 | 10,702 | 0.6% | -0.2% |
| Motion Control.: | Q | 1,681 | 1,681 | 0.1% | -2.0% |
| Plumbing Africa | Mtly | 10,865 | 10,892 | -0.4% | 1.8% |
| Refrigeration and Airconditioning | Mtly | 5,895 | 5,903 | -8.3% | -4.0% |
| SA Instrumentation & Control | Mtly | 3,574 | 3,574 | -6.4% | -11.7% |
| Water & Sanitation Africa.: | 6xA | 8,154 | 8,154 | 2.7% | -4.0% |
| Health and Wellbeing | |||||
| Fire Protection | Q | 2,106 | 2,106 | 14.1% | 208.3% |
| MDR Medical Desk Reference.: | Ann | 0 | Resigned | ||
| Medical Chronicle | 11xA | 36,126 | 36,126 | 3.5% | 21.0% |
| MIMS | Mtly | 0 | Resigned | ||
| Modern Medicine Magazine..: | 6xA | 3,194 | 3,654 | 5.8% | 5.5% |
| SMART Security Solutions | 8xA | 4,155 | 4,155 | 0.0% | 5.1% |
| South African Pharmaceutical & Cosmetic Review | 11xA | 2,673 | 2,676 | -5.5% | -1.4% |
| The Specialist Forum Journal | 11xA | 29,917 | 29,917 | 0.6% | 14.2% |
| Industry | |||||
| Analytical Reporter.: | 6xA | 4,450 | 4,450 | -7.0% | -4.2% |
| Cold Link Africa.: | 8xA | 3,663 | 3,667 | -3.9% | 1.2% |
| Eastern Cape Business...: | Ann | 4,963 | 4,963 | No Issue | -0.2% |
| KwaZulu Natal Business...: | Ann | 4,963 | 4,963 | No Issue | 0.0% |
| Lighting in Design..: | Q | 0 | Ceased Publishing | ||
| Northern Cape Business...: | Ann | 4,963 | 4,963 | No Issue | 0.0% |
| Opportunity (Exploring Business Prospects in SA).: | Q | 4,954 | 4,954 | -0.1% | 0.1% |
| South African Food Review | 11xA | 3,228 | 3,237 | -1.2% | -6.3% |
| The Journal of African Business | Q | 4,965 | 4,965 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Information and Computer Technology | |||||
| Brainstorm | 11xA | 3,924 | 7,544 | 6.0% | -3.1% |
| Management | |||||
| African Decisions.: | Q | 0 | Terminated | ||
| Black Business Quarterly.: | Q | 33,091 | 33,116 | -1.1% | 4.4% |
| Blue Chip,.: | Q | 7,461 | 7,461 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| ESG - Future of Sustainabilty | Ann | 16,074 | 16,074 | 12.7% | No Issue |
| FA News..: | AltM | 2,737 | 2,876 | -0.3% | -1.0% |
| Leadership.: | Mtly | 35,944 | 36,088 | 4.4% | 0.8% |
| Money Marketing | Mtly | 6,244 | 6,244 | 6.4% | 6.6% |
| Public Sector Leaders, | Mtly | 14,242 | 14,242 | 9.8% | 73.9% |
| South African Business Intergrator.: | Q | 9,792 | 9,853 | -0.2% | 1.1% |
| Top 500 : South Africa's Best Managed Companies | Ann | 17,933 | 17,933 | 26.2% | 6850.8% |
| Top Women Leader | Ann | 0 | Changed Sector | ||
| Top Women Leaders, | Ann | 18,489 | 18,489 | 23.1% | 5624.1% |
| Mining & Quarrying | |||||
| African Mining Inc. Mining Mirror | Mtly | 21,654 | 21,698 | -7.0% | -8.4% |
| Earthbroker | Mtly | 5,382 | 5,382 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Engineering News & Mining Weekly | Wkly, Fr | 19,225 | 21,444 | 15.3% | 30.8% |
| Mining Review Africa. | 6xA | 4,745 | 4,745 | 2.0% | -1.0% |
| Modern Mining | Mtly | 10,167 | 10,167 | -2.5% | -0.6% |
| Modern Quarrying.: | Q | 6,940 | 6,940 | -4.3% | -1.3% |
| Retail | |||||
| DIY And Industrial Trade News | Mtly | 8,152 | 8,152 | -3.1% | -2.4% |
| Pharmacy Magazine (former Frontshop) | 11xA | 23,505 | 23,505 | 53.9% | 30.7% |
| Supermarket & Retailer | Mtly | 21,579 | 21,579 | 0.1% | 28.9% |
| Transport and Logistics | |||||
| Freight News Features | Mtly | 5,231 | 5,386 | 1.2% | -4.0% |
| Total | 607,540 | 616,349 | 3.7% | 4.8% |
Custom magazines
A good performance by this category, with nearly every sector showing good increases on the previous quarter and/or the prior year. The category increased by 2.1% on the previous quarter and had a double-digit increase of 18.7% on the prior year.
The In-flight sector’s one publication In-flight Magazine continues its good increases on the previous quarter and prior year of Q1 into Q2 2025.
As reported in Q1 20025, both publications in the Farming category have been terminated.
| Farming | |||||
| Publication | Frequency | Free circulation | Total circulation | % change quarter | % change year |
| Dairy Mail, The. | Mtly | 0 | Terminated | ||
| Wolboer / Wool Farmer | AltM | 0 | Terminated | ||
| Health & Wellbeing | |||||
| SA Pharmaceutical Journal..: | 10xA | 7,130 | 7,130 | 3.0% | 2.9% |
| South African Medical Journal | Mtly | 11,832 | 11,832 | 0.9% | 6.7% |
| Home | |||||
| Living Space | Mtly | 33 | 39,062 | -7.2% | 12.9% |
| My Kitchen | Mtly | 4,843 | 110,810 | -1.8% | 31.2% |
| Industry Specific | |||||
| J S E.: | Q | 13,131 | 14,798 | -0.2% | 0.3% |
| Sea Rescue.: | 3xA | 13,680 | 13,680 | No Issue | |
| Servamus | Mtly | 65 | 5,510 | -1.9% | -13.6% |
| The Journal of the SAIMM,. | Mtly | 2,369 | 2,369 | 10.4% | 31.0% |
| In-flight | |||||
| In Flight Magazine | Mtly | 87,091 | 87,091 | 13.3% | 116.7% |
| Leisure | |||||
| Lush Fine Living | Q | 4,490 | 4,490 | New Member | |
| Private Edition.: | 4xA | 10,018 | 10,018 | -1.5% | 0.2% |
| Male | |||||
| Man | Mtly | 3,300 | 84,999 | -0.7% | 33.0% |
| Tech | Mtly | 0 | No Issue | ||
| Professional | |||||
| Accountancy SA, | Mtly | 66,947 | 66,947 | 3.5% | 22.2% |
| De Rebus, | 11xA | 59,108 | 59,112 | 0.1% | -1.0% |
| Retail | |||||
| Club Magazine | Mtly | 6,936 | 289,696 | 1.2% | 26.5% |
| Jet Club.: | 7xA | 17,005 | 306,080 | 8.5% | 13.0% |
| Sport and Hobby | |||||
| Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag | Mtly | 64,977 | 65,358 | -0.6% | -2.2% |
| SoccerClub | Mtly | 4,799 | 70,932 | 1.4% | 42.3% |
| SportsClub | Mtly | 2,985 | 112,428 | -3.7% | 9.4% |
| Wildland Magazine | Mtly | 74,965 | 74,965 | 3.6% | -8.7% |
| Travel, Tourism & Hospitality | |||||
| Premier | Mtly | 7,376 | 7,376 | 3.2% | -5.7% |
| Rove SA.: | Q | 12,904 | 13,296 | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Woman's General | |||||
| Balanced Life | Mtly | 3,506 | 55,620 | -0.6% | 31.8% |
| Youth | |||||
| ClubX | Mtly | 6,000 | 126,098 | -0.5% | 19.4% |
| Kids Super Club, | Mtly | 3,105 | 94,451 | 1.7% | 34.5% |
| Total | 488,595 | 1,734,148 | 2.1% | 18.7% |
Free magazines
While Free magazines had only one publication increase on the previous quarter (In Q1 2025 it had three) the category showed an increase on the previous quarter of 5.2% and an increase of 3% on the prior year. This is due to a number of the publications showing a 0.0% on the previous quarter and prior year.
| Publication | Frequency | Total circulation | % change quarter | % change year |
| Botswana Advertiser. | F | 99,965 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Get It (Ballito to Umhlanga) | Mtly | 11,975 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Get It (Bloemfontein) | Mtly | 6,890 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Get It (Highway) | Mtly | 11,805 | -0.3% | 0.1% |
| Get It (Jo'burg South) | Mtly | 11,750 | 0.0% | -7.8% |
| Get It (Jo'burg West) | Mtly | 10,597 | 0.3% | -11.5% |
| Get It (Lowveld) | Mtly | 6,400 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Get It (Northern Suburbs Joburg) | Mtly | 11,850 | 0.0% | -7.2% |
| Get It (Pretoria) | Mtly | 11,805 | -0.3% | -5.0% |
| Umbele Magazine | 6xA | 9,500 | New Member | |
| Total | 192,537 | 5.2% | 3.0% |
Tables by Andre Rademan © Bizcommunity
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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