Spanish media magnate Jesus de Polanco dies

AFP, July, 2007

MADRID (AFP) — Spain's Jesus de Polanco, who transformed a schoolbook publisher he founded in 1958 into Prisa, the largest media company in the Spanish-speaking world, died Saturday at the age of 77, his firm said.

Polanco, one of Spain's richest men and the chairman of Prisa, died in Madrid surrounded by his family due to complications from cancer, the media company said in a statement.

As one of the backers of top-selling daily newspaper El Pais in 1976, in the final years of the right-wing dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, he is credited with helping to restore Spain's independent press.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said Polanco had played an important role in helping Spain return to democracy.

"He was a man of great courage...