Marcel Granier

He is the President and CEO of Empresas 1BC and the General Director of Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV), which until becoming a cable TV-channel on May 27, 2007, was the most watched television channel in Venezuela.

[4] In 1969, Granier quit practising law and became a director at RCTV, moving up the ranks to his current position.

[5][6] Marcel Granier and his television network were accused of supporting the 2002 coup attempt against President Hugo Chávez and the 2002-2003 general strike, and the Venezuelan government decided to shutdown the channel in return.

[8] Granier claims that this license did not need renewing and that this was an "illegal shutdown" by the government.

[9] Human rights groups have decried the shutdown, with Thor Halvorssen of the Human Rights Foundation calling the shut down "the final move in his (Chavez') drive to shut down all independent voices.