Newspapers in South Africa continue their downward spiral. I was looking for a copy of The Citizen in Cape Town the other day, but apparently, physical copies aren’t available here. Pity. I enjoy The Citizen—it’s still a lively publication. The same goes for The Sowetan, which I couldn’t find either. Another lively paper that’s still holding its own.
Here in Cape Town, newspaper sales have declined enormously. I won’t go into details—you can see it for yourself. Do a quick Google search to see how badly print circulation has collapsed. It’s no secret that newspaper sales have reached all-time lows and the trend is still downward.
Many of us remember the good old days in Johannesburg when you could buy four solid newspapers every morning—Business Day, The Star, The Sowetan, and Beeld. All were thriving once upon a time.
Reading news online is convenient, sure, but it doesn’t compare to poring over a front page, flipping through double-page spreads, and finding that one unexpected story that grabs you. Then heading to the editorial section to browse a variety of opinions—sadly, that range has dwindled. These days, most editorials seem to follow the same line. There are one or two dissenting voices, but they’re rare.
And the sports pages? Thin. Sometimes it’s just a page or two, with a couple of stories. I miss Monday mornings with horse racing results, Formula One coverage, and updates from tracks like Kyalami and Killarney.
One can only hope for a resurgence in quality print newspapers—but that doesn’t seem likely.
Where We Stand on Circulation (2024 Benchmarks):
According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) South Africa:
• The Citizen (Q1 2024): 22,432 copies (Mo–Fr)
• The Sowetan (Q1 2024): 17,197 copies (Mo–Fr)
• The Star (Q1 2024): 18,432 copies (Mo–Fr)
• Business Day (Q1 2024): 12,311 copies (Mo–Fr)
• Cape Times (Q1 2024): 7,603 copies (Mo–Fr)
• Sunday Times (Q2 2024): 60,594 (Weekend edition)
• Die Burger (Q4 2023): Approx. 26,000 (combined print/digital, weekday)
• Beeld (Q4 2023): Approx. 19,000 (combined print/digital, weekday)
Outlook for 2025:
The trend is clear: newspaper sales are declining year-on-year. The ABC releases figures quarterly, and while 2025 data is still being compiled, there’s no indication of a turnaround. Rising costs, falling ad revenue, and a digital shift all play their part. According to PwC’s Africa Media and Entertainment Outlook, print media is the only segment forecast to shrink through 2028.
Final Thought:
It’s a loss—not just for nostalgia, but for the richness of media diversity. There’s something tactile and thoughtful about holding a paper in your hand, discovering the news without a push notification or algorithm deciding what you read. Let’s hope something of that spirit survives.
