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Johannesburg, Feb 27 (I-Net Bridge) - The Sunday Times has maintained and strengthened its position as South Africa's best-selling newspaper.
Audited figures released by the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) for the period October-December 2011, reveal that the national circulation of the Sunday Times now stands at 462,895.
This means that the Sunday Times sells more copies of the newspaper than the combined sales of Rapport (218,053), City Press (149,265), Sunday Independent (39,129) and the Sunday edition of the Weekend Argus (26,415).
The stalwart of the Avusa Media stable, the Sunday Times continues to deliver intelligent, relevant news and insights along with a commitment to award-winning journalism, which has ensured its place at the top of the ABC log.
Ray Hartley, Editor of the Sunday Times, says the paper is strong because "readers trust us to stand up against the powerful and provide the accurate, independent journalism that South Africans demand."
"Our hard news and political coverage is now complemented by our Lifestyle Magazine, Food, Travel and Home sections, making us a complete package for the Sunday reader."
The circulation of Avusa's daily papers has also shown a positive increase, with the Sowetan up 1.3% to 117,862 copies, and The Times continuing its upward trajectory with circulation figures showing steady year on year growth (up 0.9% for the same period in 2010). Since its launch in 2007, The Times has cemented its position as South Africa's biggest circulating quality daily.
With the increased adoption of mobile and digital technologies in the form of pc's, tablets and iPads, the move towards digital news output is slowly but surely also gaining traction in an increasingly tech-savvy market. Data presented in the latest ABC statistics reveal that Avusa's digital subscription figures show a clear leadership in venturing into the digital sphere. Daily Dispatch, Saturday Dispatch, Herald, and Weekend Post show top digital subscription figures.
"We are fortunate to work with a very competent Sales and Circulation team who have a clear understanding of the needs of our advertisers," comments Trevor Ormerod, General Manager Advertising Sales and Strategic Communications.
"We are incredibly grateful to all our advertisers and readers who continue to support the Sunday Times, as we continually strive to remain at the forefront in delivering an exceptional product."
