Marcel Granier Haydon (born July 4, 1941) is a Venezuelan

businessperson A businessperson, also referred to as a businessman or businesswoman, is an individual who has founded, owns, or holds shares in (including as an angel investor) a private-sector company. A businessperson undertakes activities (commercial ...

. He is the president and CEO of Empresas 1BC and the

general director A director general, general director or director-general (plural: ''directors general'', ''general directors'', ''directors-general'', ''director generals'' or ''director-generals'') is a senior executive officer, often the chief executive officer ...

of Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV), which until becoming a cable TV-channel on May 27, 2007, was the most watched television channel in Venezuela.

Biography

Marcel Granier was born on July 4, 1941, to Marcel Granier Doyeux and Brígida Haydon Urbaneja.Marcel GRANIER/Dorothy PHELPS TOVAR
/ref> He attended

law school A law school (also known as a law centre/center, college of law, or faculty of law) is an institution, professional school, or department of a college or university specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for b ...

and later married Dorothy Phelps Tovar, the granddaughter of the founder of Empresas 1BC and Radio Caracas Radio, William Henry Phelps. In 1969, Granier quit practising law and became a director at RCTV, moving up the ranks to his current position. On November 10, 1976, he began hosting '' Primer Plano'', a

talk show A talk show is a television programming, radio programming or podcast genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show', pp.3-4Erler, Robert (201 ...

that has aired off and on throughout the years, with the most recent show airing on November 30, 2006. Marcel Granier and his television network were accused of supporting the 2002 coup attempt against President

Hugo Chávez Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (; ; 28 July 1954 – 5 March 2013) was a Venezuelan politician, Bolivarian Revolution, revolutionary, and Officer (armed forces), military officer who served as the 52nd president of Venezuela from 1999 until De ...

and the 2002-2003 general strike, and the Venezuelan government decided to shutdown the channel in return. Upon the shutdown, Chavez claimed RCTV would be punished for criticizing the government. Granier and the other directors at the network fight for its return to the public airwaves. Granier claims that this license did not need renewing and that this was an "illegal shutdown" by the government. Human rights groups have decried the shutdown, with Thor Halvorssen of the

Human Rights Foundation The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is a non-profit organization that focuses on promoting and protecting human rights globally, with an emphasis on authoritarian regimes. HRF organizes the Oslo Freedom Forum. The Human Rights Foundation was founde ...

calling the shut down "the final move in his (Chavez') drive to shut down all independent voices."

Personal life

They have six children together; Marcel Alfredo Granier Phelps, Carlos Eduardo Granier Phelps, María Cristina Granier Phelps, María Clara Granier Phelps, Isabel Helena Granier Phelps, and Jorge Ignacio Granier Phelps.

Publications

* La generación de relevo vs. el estado omnipotente (1984) * Más y mejor democracia (1987)

References

External links

Marcel Granier
''

Freedom Collection Freedom Collection is a digital repository sponsored by the George W. Bush Institute at the George W. Bush Presidential Center on Southern Methodist University's campus in Dallas, Texas. The collection documents major players in human rights and ...

'' interview {{DEFAULTSORT:Granier, Marcel Living people RCTV personalities Venezuelan chief executives 20th-century Venezuelan lawyers 1941 births Presidents of boards of companies of Venezuela

Biography

Personal life

Publications

See also

References

External links