Miami (August 28, 2025) — The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) has named René Picado Cozza, president of Televisora de Costa Rica (Teletica), as Executive of the Year 2025. The award recognizes his leadership in building Costa Rica’s leading audiovisual group and his contribution to public interest and democracy.
Picado heads Channel 7, home to Telenoticias, the country’s most established newscast, as well as XpertTV, radio station 91.5, and a digital portfolio that includes TD+, TD+2, and TDMAX. He is also a founding partner of FUTV, Costa Rica’s top sports channel.
Beyond Teletica, Picado plays an active role in regional and national industry organizations, including the Ibero-American Television Organization, the Chamber of Commerce, and the National Chamber of Radio and Television. He has maintained a firm commitment to editorial independence, even amid political pressures and challenges related to state advertising and frequency allocation.
Past recipients of this award include Frederic Kachar, CEO of Editora Globo and Sistema Globo de Radio (Brazil) in 2024, and Pamela J. Browning, president and publisher of The Post and Courier (Charleston, USA) in 2023.
The award will be presented at the 81st IAPA General Assembly, to be held October 16–19, 2025, at the Westin Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
La SIP es una organización sin fines de lucro dedicada a la defensa y promoción de la libertad de prensa y de expresión en las Américas. Está conformada por más de 1.300 medios del hemisferio occidental y tiene su sede en Miami, Florida, Estados Unidos.