Marcel Granier is a Venezuelan journalist, media entrepreneur, and advocate of press freedom. He is the president and CEO of Empresas 1BC and the former general director of Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV), which was the oldest and most-watched television channel in Venezuela until it was forced to close by the government in 2007. For decades, Granier was host of “Primer Plano,” a political talk show with millions of viewers. When Hugo Chávez came to power, Granier and his television network were frequently attacked and dubbed “fascists” and “coup-plotters” for their criticism of the government. Without a legal proceeding, RCTV’s frequency was cancelled in 2007. Through Empresas IBC, RCTV continued to broadcast via cable and the Internet until 2023. The Council on Foreign Relations identified RCTV as “the most important independent television station in Venezuela.”
