While the middle class is expanding, and use of the Internet has increased significantly, unemployment levels have remained unchanged, with a terrifying 65.1 percent of South Africans not working. This demographic data is according to the latest South African Advertising Research Foundation AMPS Dec 10 (January to December 2010), released today [March 31].
But while unemployment figures are high, the good news is that as a whole, the LSM 1-3 group is declining with with LSM 1 now down to just 2.4%, LSM 2 to 5.7% and LSM 3 to 7.0%. And average household income now stands at R7 868 per month, an increase of 5.3% from the R7 473 measured in AMPS Jun 10. The six-month change is ahead of inflation at 4.3% (July 2010).
Access to services has improved with 80.1% of South Africans now having access to water either in the house or on the plot, a significant increase over AMPS Jun 10’s 77.8%.
A growing number of households now own hardware such as microwaves, stoves, fridges, washing machines, and televisions (84 percent). DSTV subscribers have grown from 18.9 percent to 20.7 percent.
Print media, SAARF says, has “has settled, with overall readership remaining stable on the previous AMPS period. Newspaper readership – of both the dailies and the weeklies – mirrored the stability of the medium as a whole”. But weekly papers declined, with six titles losing readership over this period.
Magazines, too, remained stable except for fortnightly publications, which have declined, and television viewing and radio listening increased, as did Internet usage.
NEWSPAPERS
Newspapers have a readership of 16.150-million readers in total, although there was a decline in metropolitan readership. Average issue readership of newspapers as a whole was stable at 47.5%, but there was upward movement at the six-month readership filter.
Six-month readership grew from 78.2% in AMPS Jun 10 to 79.5% in AMPS Dec 10, with growth coming from settlements and rural markets, the Northern Cape, females, the 15-24 and 50+ age groups, and significantly more black readers.
Readers of daily newspapers total 9.99-million, but Durban lost readers, the only demographic shift in the AMPS. Average issue readership of any daily newspaper was 29.4%, stable on the previous period’s 29.2%.
On the six-month readership filter however, daily newspaper readership was up significantly, from 73.6% in the previous period, to 74.9% currently. Growth was driven by the Northern Cape, small towns, villages and rural areas, females and the 50+ age group.
Overall readership of weekly newspapers has remained stable compared with AMPS Jun 10, although the metropolitan, Western Cape, and Coloured and White readership bases showed decline. Weeklies average a readership of 33.4%, with a total readership of 11.351-million.
While daily newspapers drove the growth seen in the total sector’s six-month readership, weekly newspapers in total remained stable at this filter, at 47.2%. While six-month readership of the weeklies has strengthened in the Northern Cape and East London, in metros, the Western Cape and Limpopo, and amongst Coloured and white markets, readership is down.
Readership changes in the weekly sector
- Die Burger (Saturday) has lost ground over the previous AMPS period, declining from 0.9% reach nationally to 0.6%, with 194 000 readers. Losses were seen in metropolitan areas and specifically the Western Cape, amongst females and the 35-49 age group.
- Readership of the Super Saturday Citizen has declined over AMPS Jun 10, from 1.0% reach to 0.5%. Demographics showing declines were large urban areas, as well as Gauteng, amongst males, and in the 35-49 age group.
- The City Press dipped, seeing its readership decline from 6.2% to 5.5%, with a readership of 1.867-million. Fewer metro readers, specifically in Gauteng, as well as fewer male readers and those aged 15-34 contributed to the decline.
- Naweek Beeld is down from 0.6% to 0.3% reach, with a readership of 114 000. The Afrikaans weekend paper lost readers in large urban areas, especially in Gauteng, with fewer male and 35+ readers.
- The country’s biggest weekend read, Sunday Times, has shed readership, dropping from 12.0% penetration nationally to 11.2%. Now with 3.8-million readers, the publication lost ground in metros, the Western Cape, and with males.
- The Zimbabwean declined from 0.2% previously to 0.1%.
MAGAZINES
Average issue readership of magazines remains stable at 50.5 percent despite indications of a slight upward movement over the previous survey. Total readership is 17.175-million. On the six-month filter, the KwaZulu-Natal market showed gains but readership is at 66.1%.
Fortnightly magazine readership was the only sector to decline, from 13.7% to 12.1%, with 4.132-million readers. Audience profiles showing declines include metros, cities and large towns, the Western Cape, Limpopo and Gauteng, both males and females and the 15-24 and 35-49 age groups. But once again, it was the Northern Cape that showed an increase.
Readership changes in magazine titles
- Bona’s readership grew from 9.8% in AMPS Jun 10 to 10.6%, pushing up its total readership to 3.603-million. The title’s readership base in small towns, villages and rural areas grew, as did readership in Mpumalanga, Pretoria, and the 15-34 age group.
- Dish/Skottel reflects the growth of the digital satellite market in South Africa, with readership rising from 6.6% previously to 8.3%, pushing total readership ever-closer to three million, at 2.807-million. A wide audience base is responsible for these gains, with growth coming through from large urban areas, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
- TVPlus now reaches 1.567-million South Africans, with a reach of 4.6%, down from 5.9% in AMPS Jun 10. Declines came through from large urban areas, in the Western Cape and Gauteng, as well as Port Elizabeth/Uitenhage and Bloemfontein.
- Fairlady’s reach declined from 2.9% to 2.2%, giving the title a readership of 742 000. Significant audience shifts down were seen in large urban areas, in Gauteng, and in the 35-49 age group.
- For bilingual title Home/Tuis, AMPS Dec 10 shows a decline in readership from 1.5% in the previous AMPS release to 1.2% currently, with 422 000 readers. Much of this loss came from the metropolitan reader base.
- Living & Loving fell from 1.6% reach to 1.3%, with a readership of 446 000. There were fewer male readers and Cape Town readers behind this decline.
- Readership of Marie Claire fell from 1.0% to 0.7%. The publication has a readership of 252 000.
- Property: The Property Magazine saw its reach decline from 1.1% in AMPS Jun 10 to 0.8% currently. Losses in metros and the 35+ age group were behind the decline, leaving the title with 288 000 readers.
- Top Billing Magazine lost male readers and readers in large urban areas and the Western Cape, bringing its reach down to 2.3% (from 2.8%), with a readership of 771 000.
TELEVISION
Televsion viewing is still on the increase. AMPS Dec 10 shows that 88.5% of all South African adults watch television in any given week, up from 86.8% in the previous survey. Viewing has increased especially in settlements and rural areas, in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Gauteng.
The driving force behind the overall ascendance of the medium was SABC 1 and Community TV.
SABC 1 grew its weekly viewership significantly over the period – from 75.6% to 76.8%. Its audience rose in settlements and rural areas and in Limpopo, although the station did lose ground in the Western Cape.
Community TV has increased its reach from 4.2% previously to 5.1%. Growth came from metropolitan audiences, and especially the Western Cape, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
The seven-day viewing of other channels and platforms remained stable on AMPS Jun 10.
- SABC 2: 66.8%, with growth in East London.
- SABC 3: 54.7%, growing in settlements and rural areas, and in the North West.
- e.tv: 66.2%
- M-Net Main Service: 6.5%, declining in the Northern Cape.
- DStv in total (excluding terrestrial channels): 20.2%, growing in large urban areas and the Free State.
RADIO
Radio has showed significant growth and has increased its reach into the SA population. Figures are up from AMPS Jun 10, up from 90.5% reach on a past-7-day basis to 91.4%, attributable in particular to boosted audiences in Limpopo, more female listeners, and more listeners aged 35+.
The commercial radio sector – covering all non-community stations – was the chief contributor to the medium’s rise, growing from 87.7% weekly listening to 88.6%, with upward shifts in Limpopo and amongst females.
Total community listening remained stable at 24.4%.
OUT OF HOME
(Please note that SAARF OHMS is the official currency for out-of-home media.)
Exposure to Out-of-Home advertising remained stable.
- Exposure yesterday: 74.3%, down in the Eastern Cape.
- Exposure in the past seven days: 92.0%, with losses in the Free State and Limpopo.
- Exposure in the past four weeks: 96.5%, with a decline in Limpopo.
While the medium as a whole showed little change, weekly exposure to advertising on minibus taxis has risen significantly to 76.3%, from 75.1% previously. This sector of the industry is receiving more sightings in metropolitan areas, the Western Cape, Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
All other Out-of-Home sectors remained stable across any given week:
- Billboards at 70.7% (down in the Eastern Cape).
- Bus shelters at 41.0% (down in Mpumalanga but up in the Western and Northern Cape).
- Buses at 45.0% (up in the Western and Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal but down in Mpumalanga).
- Trailers at 39.5% (growing in the Northern Cape although declining in metros).
- Dustbins at 49.0% (growing in the Northern Cape).
CINEMA
Cinema attendance is stable.
- Attendance during any given week: 1.6%
- 14-day attendance: 2.9%
- Four-week attendance: 5.3%
- Attendance within 12 months: 19.2%
INTERNET
Across all time filters, access to the internet has grown significantly.
- Accessed the internet yesterday: 9.0%, up from 7.7%, with growth in metros, the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, and in the 15-24 age group.
- Accessed in the past seven days: up from 11.1% to 13.2%.
- Past-four-week access: up from 13.4% to 15.6%.
Both seven-day and four-week access grew especially in large urban areas as well as rural, in the Western Cape, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, and in the 15-34 age group.