Newspapers AMPS

While the newspaper sector has remained stable overall, change has occurred in the weekly newspaper category.

11 Aug 2004

The newspaper sector remains stable

Any Daily - trending upwards to 21.0% (from 20.2% in the previous survey), with 6.357-million readers. Daily readership is up in metros, in the Vaal region, and in SU-LSM 6-10.

Any Weekly - stable on 31.2%, or 9.442-million readers. Weekly paper readership is up in the Western Cape, and in Cape Town and its fringes (possibly thanks to the influence of Son), and is down amongst 16-24s.

Any Newspaper - 39.2% penetration (11.870-million), with profile shifts upward in the Western Cape, and down amongst 16-24s.

Dailies hold their own

The big success story in the daily newspaper sector remains Daily Sun, which continues its upward rocketing. The paper is up from 5.9% in AMPS 2003B to 7.6% currently, with 2.292-million readers. This growth was seen across the board in terms of reader profile.

Another significant change in this sector was in Sowetan's readership, which declined from 6.2% in the previous survey, to 5.1%, or 1.544-million. The paper has lost readers in metro areas, in Limpopo, Gauteng, Johannesburg, and Pretoria, and amongst both males and females, 16-34 and 35+ year-olds, and in SU-LSM 1-5.

Looking back to AMPS 2003A, three papers are showing signs of a developing readership trend (AMPS 2003A versus AMPS 2004), although this is not yet significant:

Isolezwe - trending up from 0.9% to 1.3% (391 000 readers).

The Citizen - trending down from 1.8% to 1.5% (466 000).

The Star - trending down from 2.2% to 2.0% (616 000), but with growth in SU-LSM 7.

The average number of daily papers per reader is stable, at 1.33 (from 1.34 in AMPS 2003B).

Weeklies/bi-weeklies/monthlies

While weekly readership in total remains stable, there have been a number of significant declines in readership in this sector, with no paper posting a significant growth. Newcomer Son, however, has recorded an impressive 744 000 readers (2.5% penetration), making it the second biggest Afrikaans weekly, after Rapport.

The Citizen Weekend Edition has declined significantly from 2.1% (AMPS 2003B) in the previous survey, to 1.6%, or 487 000 readers. The paper has lost readers particularly in large urban areas, amongst males, in the 16-34 and 35+ age groups, and in SU-LSM 6-10.

Pretoria News Weekend is down from 0.5% (AMPS 2003B) to 0.3% penetration, attracting 89 000 readers currently. Losses came through in the male market, and in SU-LSM 6-10.

Saturday Dispatch has shed readership, with its 85 000 readers accounting for 0.3% penetration, down from 0.5% in the previous survey. Declines were seen especially in the Eastern Cape, and amongst both males and females.

Sunday Times is down from 11.6% in the previous survey, to 10.7% (3.239-million). Downwards profile shifts occurred in Limpopo, amongst females, in the 16-24 age group, and in SU-LSM 3.

Sunday World dropped from 4.3% penetration to 3.5% currently (1.062-million readers). These declines came through from large urban areas, the Free State, both males and females, the 16-34 bracket, and SU-LSM 7.

Finally, The Teacher is down from 0.7% to 0.5%, with 150 000 readers (down amongst males).

The average number of weekly newspapers per reader is 1.87 (from 1.94 in AMPS 2003B).