Ángel García Colín, prominent media manager at Grupo Prisa, died in Madrid on Saturday at age 66 from cancer. Known for his humor and affability, he drove regional newspaper management for three decades. His career blended journalism and administration with a collaborative and effective approach.
Ángel García Colín, born in 1959 in Durango but hailing from Cistierna in León, graduated in Information Sciences from the University of the Basque Country and earned a doctorate from Complutense University in Madrid. His professional path focused on advertising, marketing, and media management, always infused with a journalistic touch that balanced editorial and commercial needs.
From 1992, he worked for Prisa Group outlets like EL PAÍS, As, and Cinco Días. He was instrumental in founding Gestión de Medios Impresos (GMI) in 1999, which managed newspapers such as El Correo de Andalucía, Odiel, Jaén, El Día de Valladolid, and later Bolivian titles like La Razón and Extra. Concurrently, in Gestión de Medios de Prensa, he coordinated partnerships with regional publishers including Canarias 7, El Punt, and Diario de Noticias de Navarra, creating innovative supplements like La Mirada.
Prior to Prisa, from 1987 he worked at Prensa Española (now Vocento, publisher of ABC) and Editorial Católica, which produced the Madrid daily Ya. At Prisa, he held roles such as managing director of Gerencia de Medios (GDM), Spain's first multimedia advertising hub, general director of GMI and PRISA Revistas, and director of Institutional Relations and Commercial for PRISA Noticias. After leaving the group in 2021, he became vice president of Radio Televisión de Castilla y León (RTVCyL).
Personally, García Colín enjoyed life with his wife Montse and son Guillermo. Colleagues recall his frequent smile, early baldness, and knack for repeating jokes without losing charm. 'He never raised his voice, evaded arguments with irony,' his obituary notes. Professionally, he was effective: he launched El Día de Valladolid in three weeks and fostered a positive work environment. The word 'affable' seems coined for him, an executive dreamed of by many journalists.