Digital News South Africa

RIP Matthew Buckland

UPDATE: Details have been announced for Matthew Buckland's Cape Town memorial service.
Matthew Buckland
Matthew Buckland

One of the SA digital media's industry's best-known players, having taken home the 'best individual contribution to digital' award at the 2017 Bookmark Awards, Matthew Buckland has passed away from cancer at the age of 45.

A year ago, Buckland spoke of how the Burn Media was set to embark on aggressive growth after a deal to go solo.

Today, the South African digital industry has shared its sadness over Buckland’s passing on social media, so much so that the news is trending:

Buckland often said what he loved most about the industry was:
Constant change, evolution, endless challenges. The constant ‘wow’ factor. The strong feeling of “ownership” that our generation has over this industry as we were a part of shaping it — not the old industrialists and the “old money" of the past.
Digital news entrepreneur

Dubbed a 'digital news entrepreneur', Buckland was also head of the Mail & Guardian’s online division, founder of the collaborative news and opinion platform Thought Leader from 2000 to 2007, established a division at Naspers’ online publisher News24.com, and was also a consultant and investor at multinational media fund Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF).

Our sincere condolences to Buckland’s wife Bridget; daughters Stella and Isabella; family and friends; and all who were inspired by his digital spark.

Let's do Biz