Private company

Empresas 1BC

Venezuelan media company

Empresas 1BC (also known as Grupo Phelps, Centro Corporativo 1BC, and Grupo 1BC) is a privately owned Venezuelan corporation which operates diverse media enterprises such as Radio Caracas Televisión, Etheron, Radio Caracas Radio, 92.9 tu FM, Sonográfica, FonoVideo, Recordland, and Radionet, to name a few. This conglomerate is headed by Marcel Granier and headquartered in Caracas, Venezuela.2 It was founded by William Henry Phelps.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1920Founded1
  • Industrybroadcasting1
  • HeadquartersCaracas1

Empresas 1BC (also known as Grupo Phelps, Centro Corporativo 1BC, and Grupo 1BC) is a privately owned Venezuelan corporation which operates diverse media enterprises such as Radio Caracas Televisión, Etheron, Radio Caracas Radio, 92.9 tu FM, Sonográfica, FonoVideo, Recordland, and Radionet, to name a few. This conglomerate is headed by Marcel Granier and headquartered in Caracas, Venezuela.2

Corporate structure

Empresas 1BC sits at the top of its group. 2 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

What it owns

What Empresas 1BC reports owning in its annual reports to the SEC: buildings, land and equipment, real estate and locations, investments, intangible assets and inventory, at the end of its latest fiscal year and a year before.

Stakes and holdings (Wikidata)

Things Wikidata records the company as owning, with the share when stated.1

The story

Founded by William Henry Phelps in 1920.1

The origins of this company dates back to the year 1920, when William Henry Phelps returned to Venezuela from the United States after receiving a degree from Princeton University. In the year 1929, his family established the first holding company, Sindicato Phelps, C.A., in which various businesses, such as real estate and automotive companies, were consolidated. The development of the communications sector began in 1930, when (with the support of RCA) Phelps established the Broadcasting Caracas, the first commercial radio station in Venezuela. In 1935, the Broadcasting Caracas became known as Radio Caracas, and then later, Radio Caracas Radio (RCR). Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) was created in 1953. Until then, the Phelps owned Ondas Populares, RCR, and RCTV. Businesses formerly owned by the Phelps included: El Automóvil Universal and El Almacén Americano (an electronics store). The growth of the television business in the 70s, favored a consolidation of the company, which hired new people such as Marcel Granier, Peter Bottome, and Guillermo Tucker.

In the 1980s, Empresas 1BC began to explore other types of industries. They started up the newspaper El Diario de Caracas, which on July 11, 1995, ceased publication. Three years later, El Diario de Caracas was purchased and restarted by the editors of Caracas's English language newspaper, The Daily Journal.

From Wikipedia’s article on Empresas 1BC, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Leadership

Who has led Empresas 1BC, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Products and brands

  • broadcasting

Listed on Wikidata.1

Subsidiaries and ownership

Divisions

  • Sonográfica

Also owns

From Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. 1920Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3