Arnoldus Stephanus de Beer, a prominent South African journalist and academic, passed away on October 20, 2021, at the age of 79. He was a highly respected figure in the field of journalism, and his contributions to the industry will be remembered for years to come.

Born on June 10, 1942, de Beer was known to many of his Afrikaans colleagues and friends as Arrie de Beer. He was a professor extraordinary in the Department of Journalism at Stellenbosch University, where he conducted research on a variety of topics, including the role of media in South African society, news flow, and journalism education. Many of his works were published under the pen name Arnold S de Beer.

In 1980, de Beer founded the journalism research journal Ecquid Novi, which later became African Journalism Studies, a journal that he served on as a founding editor. He also served as the editor of the 5th edition of Global Journalism – Topical Issues and Media Systems and was the co-editor of Worlds of Journalism – Journalistic Cultures around the Globe. De Beer also edited the first journalism handbook in Afrikaans, Joernalistiek Vandag, in 1982.

De Beer was a former board member of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), the public broadcaster in South Africa, and was an academic journalism representative and founding member of the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef). He served on Sanef's Appeals Committee for the SA Press Ombudsman.

Throughout his career, de Beer was a passionate advocate for journalistic integrity and professionalism. His contributions to the field of journalism research have had a significant impact on the development of journalism as an academic discipline in South Africa and around the world.

Arnoldus Stephanus de Beer will be deeply missed by his colleagues, friends, and family. His legacy will continue to inspire and inform journalists and academics for generations to come.