ABC Q1 2025: Magazines tenacious as custom magazines lead the way

The Audit Bureau of Circulations of South Africa (ABC) circulation figures for Q1 2025 show that the resilience shown by the Magazine category in 2024 is continuing into 2025.

By Danette Breitenbach

22 May 2025

The ABC Q1 2025 circulation figures for magazines have been released. Image by Lesley Svenson © Bizcommunity

Once again, custom magazines led the way in the first quarter of 2025, with some consumer and B2B magazine sectors showing strong growth.

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

ABC Q4 2024: Magazines show resilience in 2024

20 Feb 2025

Consumer magazines

There are six new members in the consumer magazine category.

Six magazines had increases on the previous quarter and the prior year, with two of these with double-figure increases.

The women’s general sector fared well with six out of 10 of its magazines up on the previous quarter, while the Travel, Tourism & Hospitality sector's six titles all showed an increase on the previous quarter.

For the farming interest, male and motoring sectors the news was not good, with only decreases on the previous quarter and prior year.

This is in strong contrast with the Q4 2024 for the farming interest sector, when it showed good increases on the previous quarter

Arts, Culture and Heritage
Publication	Frequency	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Jewish Life	Mtly	8,450	8,450	0%	0%
Business and News
BusinessBrief	AltM	1,734	30,162	-4.5%	Changed Sector
Fast Company	Q	0			New Member
Financial Mail	Wkly, Th	2,855	17,854	-1.0%	15.6%
Forbes Africa	AltM	4,807	11,656	6.2%	2.9%
SA Real Estate Investor Magazine	Mtly	15,354	15,354	-2.4%	-6.5%
The Big Issue Magazine	11xA	110	4,704	-9.6%	-4.7%
Communications
The Little issue	Q	0			New Member
Conservation and Wildlife
African Birdlife	AltM	2,826	8,824	8.6%	17.1%
Family Interest
Huisgenoot	Wkly, Th	740	72,683	-2.4%	-16.4%
LIG	Q	0	Resigned
Plus 50	6xA	769	2,568	-42.3%	-55.3%
You	Wkly, Th	457	34,086	-0.7%	-20.4%
Farming
AGRIFOODSA	AltM	7,825	7,825	New Member
Farmer's Weekly	Wkly, Fr	626	4,935	-10.8%	-2.5%
Grond tot Mond	Q	17,591	17,591	-32.1%	-45.8%
Landbouweekblad	F	0	12,378	1.1%	-13.1%
Marktoe	Mtly	18,724	18,724	40.5%	33.7%
Home
Conde Nast House & Garden	6xA	0	No Issue
Essential Flavours	Q	6,915	8,310	13.1%	19.8%
Food&Home Magazine	Q	5,287	14,675	No Issue	2.2%
Lose It	6xA	0	No Issue
SA Home Owner	11xA	2,194	15,258	3.2%	-8.4%
Sarie Kos / Food	Q	100	9,574	-11.9%	-6.2%
The Gardener / Die Tuinier	Mtly	7,036	32,884	63.1%	31.5%
Tuis Home	8xA	546	52,247	-5.6%	-13.4%
Visi	6xA	335	9,541	-0.3%	-0.8%
Leisure
YourLuxury Africa	Mtly	19,649	19,649	0%	New Member
Male
GQ	6xA	0	No Issue
Men's Health	AltM	4,755	9,539	-0.6%	New Member
Motoring
Car	Mtly	1,821	23,897	-8.5%	-25.7%
Driven Magazine	Mtly	6,124	6,124	-5.9%	-7.7%
Parenting
Baba & Kleuter	Q	35	10,594	No Issue	8.3%
Baby's and Beyond	Q	9,619	13,780	3.9%	41.0%
Your Pregnancy and Baby	AltM	1,092	4,729	-1.5%	-9.2%
Sport and Hobby
Compleat Golfer	Mtly	0	No Issue
SA Rugby	Mtly	1,111	2,771	0.9%	-50.1%
Travel, Tourism & Hospitality
Cape Etc	3xA	5,237	7,343	1.8%	-2.6%
Getaway	Mtly	859	7,824	2.4%	-35.4%
go! Drive & Camp and Weg! Ry & Sleep	AltM	0	21,784	10.6%	-1.5%
Inbound SA	Mtly	9,942	9,942	0.2%	New Member
Weg / Go Platteland	Q	180	14,514	0.7%	-6.6%
Weg/Go	AltM	316	36,318	2.0%	-14.7%
Woman's General
BONA Magazine	Mtly	739	10,842	4.1%	-18.6%
Fairlady	AltM	405	24,853	4.2%	-3.3%
Garden & Home Magazine	Mtly	1,899	10,777	2.4%	-18.6%
Glamour	6xA	0	No Issue
Kuier	F	170	35,732	-16.5%	-18.7%
Rooi Rose Magazine	Mtly	3,022	24,834	0.4%	-15.0%
Sarie	AltM	1,618	44,908	-17.5%	-19.1%
True Love	Q	100	7,362	-29.1%	-34.2%
Women & Home Magazine	Mtly	2,856	19,464	0.4%	-12.8%
Women's Health	AltM	4,049	10,050	7.9%	New Member
Woman's Special
Bruidsgids	Ann	0	Terminated

B2B magazines

A mixture of results with some sectors in this category showing good increases, while others failed to perform.

Engineering - other had six of its 11 publications increase on the previous quarter.

The Health & Wellbeing sector had seven publications and four publications increase on the previous quarter and five increase on the prior year, respectively.

Analytical Reporter had particularly good increases on the previous quarter.

The management sector had eight out of 12 magazines increase on the previous quarter, mining & quarrying had four of its seven publications increase on the previous quarter and three on the prior year.

The retail sector had two of its three publications increase on the previous quarter and year.

Agricultural
Publication	Frequency	Free circulation	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
OVK Nuus/News	4xA	4,770	4,770	-0.1%	-0.1%
SA Graan / Grain	Mtly	19,831	19,831	-1.8%	-0.8%
Stockfarm	Mtly	0	Resigned
Veeplaas	Mtly	0	Resigned
Wineland	Mtly	3,099	3,161	0.3%	-0.1%
Architecture
Floors in Africa	7xA	12,065	12,065	-3.5%	-12.4%
Leading Architect & Design	6xA	5,269	5,293	1.1%	3.8%
SA Building Review	Ann	9,386	9,570	No Issue	1.4%
To Build	4xA	7,798	9,855	0.1%	0.4%
Walls & Roofs in Africa	7xA	12,065	12,065	-3.5%	-12.4%
Automotive
SA Treads	Q	4,488	4,488	8.2%	18.4%
Civil Construction
Civil Engineering	Mtly	14,273	14,280	-5.8%	11.1%
Construction World	Mtly	16,135	16,135	-0.2%	-4.8%
IMIESA	10xA	10,684	10,684	-4.0%	-0.4%
Communications
SA Profile	Ann	9,736	9,845	No Issue	0.1%
Service	Q	4,965	4,965	0%	-0.1%
Electrical Engineering
Electricity & Control	Mtly	9,271	9,271	-4.2%	-12.3%
ESI Africa	2xA	0	No Issue		No Issue
Sparks Electrical News	Mtly	14,564	14,564	4.7%	-2.4%
Engineering - Other
Capital Equipment News	Mtly	12,603	12,603	2.3%	-7.9%
Dataweek	Mtly	2,938	2,938	-1.0%	2.9%
MechChem Africa	AltM	10,636	10,636	0.4%	-1.5%
Motion Control	Q	1,679	1,679	0.3%	-2.0%
Plumbing Africa	Mtly	10,930	10,957	-10.3%	0.4%
Refrigeration and Airconditioning	Mtly	6,431	6,439	-9.6%	4.2%
SA Instrumentation & Control	Mtly	3,820	3,820	0.3%	-5.3%
Water & Sanitation Africa	6xA	7,943	7,943	0.9%	-8.5%
Health and Wellbeing
Fire Protection	Q	1,846	1,846	-4.0%	556.9%
Medical Chronicle	11xA	34,907	34,907	4.4%	39.4%
MIMS	Mtly	0	Resigned
Modern Medicine Magazine	6xA	3,030	3,455	-5.0%	-6.9%
SMART Security Solutions	8xA	4,155	4,155	0.4%	5.5%
South African Pharmaceutical & Cosmetic Review	11xA	2,830	2,832	1.5%	7.9%
The Specialist Forum Journal	11xA	29,744	29,744	3.5%	54.4%
Industry
Analytical Reporter	6xA	4,784	4,784	153.0%	13.7%
Cold Link Africa	8xA	3,817	3,820	-3.5%	-2.9%
Gauteng Companies	Ann	0	No Issue
Lighting in Design	Q	0	Ceased Publishing
Limpopo Business	Ann	0	No Issue
Mpumalanga Business	Ann	0	No Issue
North West Business	Ann	0	No Issue
Opportunity (Exploring Business Prospects in SA	Q	4,957	4,957	-0.1%	0.2%
South African Business	2xA	0	No Issue
South African Food Review	11xA	3,267	3,276	0%	-4.1%
The Journal of African Business	Q	4,963	4,963	0%	No Issue
Western Cape Business	Ann	0	No Issue
Information and Computer Technology
Brainstorm	11xA	4,028	7,114	-13.1%	-6.4%
Management
African Decisions	Q	0	Resigned	No Issue
Black Business Quarterly	Q	33,418	33,500	1.0%	0.6%
Blue Chip	Q	7,459	7,459	-11.7%	0%
ESG - Future of Sustainabilty	Ann	14,262	14,262	391.6%	No Issue
FA News	AltM	2,742	2,885	0.8%	0.9%
Leadership	Mtly	34,369	34,563	-0.6%	2.1%
Money Marketing	Mtly	5,869	5,869	0.5%	-0.1%
Public Sector Leaders	Mtly	12,969	12,969	2.8%	41.9%
South African Business Intergrator	Q	9,807	9,870	0.1%	0.5%
Top 500 : South Africa's Best Managed Companies	Ann	14,213	14,213	88.4%	No Issue
Top Women Leader	Ann	0	Changed Sector
Top Women Leaders	Ann	15,015	15,015	40.7%	27.1%
Mining & Quarrying
African Mines Handbook	Ann	0	No Issue
African Mining Inc. Mining Mirror	Mtly	23,325	23,373	-0.6%	12.9%
Earthbroker	Mtly	5,382	5,382	0%	0%
Engineering News & Mining Weekly	Wkly, Fr	16,366	18,591	5.7%	29.9%
Mining Review Africa	6xA	4,651	4,651	1.6%	-2.9%
Modern Mining	Mtly	10,424	10,424	7.2%	-2.5%
Modern Quarrying	Q	7,254	7,254	3.4%	0.9%
Retail
DIY And Industrial Trade News	Mtly	8,412	8,412	8.7%	24.9%
Pharmacy Magazine (former Frontshop	11xA	15,274	15,274	-23.3%	-3.3%
Supermarket & Retailer	Mtly	21,561	21,561	4.1%	24.4%
Transport and Logistics
Freight News Features	Mtly	5,160	5,322	3.0%	-8.4%

Custom magazines

Most of the sectors in the custom magazine category had some positive movements, building on the gains of Q3 and Q4 2024.

The health & wellbeing sector had a good showing with both its publications increasing on the previous quarter.

Sectors where publications increased on the previous quarter and on the prior year include home, male, women’s general, youth, and retail.

In the in-flight sector, In-flight Magazine had big increases on the previous quarter and prior year.

Less positive are the industry-specific and professional sectors.

The farming sector saw both its publications 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	6,925	6,925	4.3%	No Issue
South African Medical Journal	Mtly	11,728	11,728	1.1%	39.6%
Home
Living Space	Mtly	2,206	42,101	4.6%	21.8%
My Kitchen	Mtly	4,843	112,885	11.4%	28.5%
Industry Specific
J S E	Q	13,082	14,823	0.5%	-0.3%
Sea Rescue	3xA	0	No Issue
Servamus	Mtly	66	5,614	-3.5%	-14.9%
The Journal of the SAIMM	Mtly	2,146	2,146	0.3%	4.5%
In-flight
In Flight Magazine	Mtly	76,876	76,876	50.2%	98.9%
Leisure
Private Edition	4xA	10,175	10,175	2.1%	No Issue
Taste	6xA	0	Discontinued
Male
Man	Mtly	3,300	85,571	11.6%	32.3%
Tech	Mtly	0	16,615	1.5%	-40.2%
Professional
Accountancy SA	Mtly	64,708	64,708	-2.4%	12.3%
De Rebus	11xA	59,066	59,068	-0.4%	-1.1%
Retail
Club Magazine	Mtly	6,936	286,394	11.8%	23.3%
Jet Club	7xA	3,000	282,091	2.4%	7.1%
Sport and Hobby
Game & Hunt/Wild & Jag	Mtly	65,112	65,766	-0.4%	-1.4%
SoccerClub	Mtly	4,799	69,924	15.2%	37.1%
SportsClub	Mtly	2,985	116,760	9.0%	17.4%
Wildland Magazine	Mtly	72,359	72,359	-16.5%	-11.4%
Travel, Tourism & Hospitality
Premier	Mtly	7,146	7,146	-8.8%	-7.7%
Rove SA	Q	12,404	13,150	5.9%	29.5%
Woman's General
Balanced Life	Mtly	3,556	55,982	10.5%	26.6%
Youth
ClubX	Mtly	6,000	126,702	9.1%	17.3%
Kids Super Club	Mtly	3,105	92,847	9.3%	33.9%

Free magazines

There was not much good news for free magazines. Only three publications had increases on the previous quarter and one increase on the prior year.

Publication	Frequency	Total circulation	% change quarter	% change year
Botswana Advertiser	F	99,965	0%	0%
Get It (Ballito to Umhlanga	Mtly	11,980	0%	-2.1%
Get It (Northern Suburbs Joburg	Mtly	11,850	0.4%	-20.0%
Get It (Highway	Mtly	11,845	-0.2%	0%
Get It (Pretoria	Mtly	11,837	1.6%	-18.3%
Get It (Jo'burg South	Mtly	11,750	0.4%	-20.3%
Get It (Jo'burg West	Mtly	10,568	-4.4%	-23.6%
Get It (Bloemfontein	Mtly	6,890	0%	10.7%
Get It (Lowveld	Mtly	6,400	0%	0%

Danette Breitenbach

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.