South African Newspaper Sales Decline Dramatically and Online Readers Get Stupid
There has been a continued, serious decline in South African newspaper sales. DMMA (Digital Media & Marketing Association) reports that of 44 newspapers studied, core circulation was down in 41.
Some lowlights, over a 3-year period, include:
- The Star: -40.6%
- Pretoria News: -34%
- The Daily Sun: -33.7%
- Cape Argus: -31.3%
- Beeld: -30.4%
- Son: -24.3%
- Business Day: -18.1%
Core circulation is the “actual paid for readership of a publication – copy sales plus individual, business and lately digital subscriptions.” Which is what one would expect so why state such? It’s because some newspaper falsely prop up their circulation by selling newspapers in bulk to 3rd parties who then give them away (or, even, possibly trash them).
Gaining advertising has always been key but in the case of newspapers such as the Knysna-Plett Herald, adverts have so overwhelmed the news so as to make the newspaper a glorified flyer.
Gone are the days when a cup of coffee and the morning newspaper was an institution.
As DMMA had previously published, the South African attraction for digital content has been exceptional. Unfortunately this does not result in an informed public as there is little commitment to reading a whole article or clicking through to other pages on the website first visited.
On News24, the most accessed website by South Africans, the average reader stays on for 2 minutes 9 seconds which is insufficient to complete, let alone absorb a full article. And that includes commenting time. The situation worsens when non-hard news sites such as dstv.com and sport24.co.za are amongst the main competitors.
Online marketing spins the scenario as readers knowing what they want but it’s far more likely, considering the dumbing down of the average conversation, that readers look at vastly more topics whilst storing superficial versions. It lacks commitment to reality. Without deliberation, how can the reader become a force for change over serious matters affecting his or hers community? A look at online media shows that many commentators lack insight into the topic supposedly being discussed. Worse is when insight is replaced by the sheer need to vent their own personal (i.e. bias) frustrations on other anonymous commentators.
The decline in South Africa’s newspaper sales and the increase in uncommitted readers to digital content results in miseducation. An ignorant public can only become a danger to itself.
This is only an indication of what kind of political nonsens they are writing in newspapers in South Africa. The afrikaner boikots newspapers because of lack of the real issues that needs to beheard. Issues that reaches international news in the world are just being sweeped under the carpet. The newspapers in South Africa is more interested in their political interests than attrackting readers to make profit. They are not educating people, they are just manapulating facts in a political sense.
For sure, SA newspapers are subservient to advertizing so that many serve political interests.
I don’t suppose you realise that I can actually read the Washinton post, watch CNN, Sky News, Fox news and a myriad of other NON ANC driven news channels. There are also websites like Maroela Media, Alex Jones channel and info wars.com to keep me informed. Only news in SA is either strikes, corruption, rape/murder-all bad stuff that our government has no intention of resolving. I rather focus on more pressing matters such as the Syrian conflict and the house of cards witch is soon to come tumbling down. *House of cards refers to the world economy.
I read some of that and much more on a regular basis. I agree that the impending financial collapse may make all our problems seem petty but education is irrelevant if one is not committed to action. And ‘overseas’ education isn’t an excuse for not acting strongly in one’s own community.
I agree with Patrick, I do not trust mainstream media at all anymore. newspaper is good for starting fires and earthworm farming. And the crossword. People arent as stupid / gullible as you think- ‘wanting to believe’ No it isnt that.-Maybe for some, it is just not a priority and a ”cooldrink” or a loose cigarette is more valuable to them than a newspaper? When I read the paper, just about every story of interest to me, has been on the internet facebook/ twitter or some or other internet News site. Seems the paper is for people who do not have the internet- and they don’t want or cant afford the paper everyday.
newspapers would make such a comeback if the internet got switched off…
Now which of us have a sense of humour this morning:)
People have stopped buying print media for one reason only; They do not trust the lying, agenda-driven media owners anymore. They don’t spend time on News24 because they are the same people behind the print lot. We go there, scan the headers, maybe glance at one story, and sign off, job done.
The Indies are the way to go. News aggregation is the new normal. It fills all needs and hones your ability to decipher the “truth” from the bollocks.
I do not believe people are becoming more stupid, just more discerning and mistrustful of mainstream media. People don’t trust liars.
I agree that indies are the way to go – i have to, i’m an indie:)
But disagree that people aren’t supporting the newspapers because of their lies. People are more gullible than ever because they want to believe. Lack of readership is directly proportional to the dumbing down of the world…and, yes, i understand the irony is that newspapers played a big part in growing that stupidity.