TFO

Infobox_Broadcast
call_letters = CHLF-TV
station_
station_slogan = "C'est notre affaire."
station_branding = TFO
analog = 39 (UHF) and Cable 13 (Hawkesbury)
digital =
other_chs = See Below
founded = January 1, 1987
location = Hawkesbury, Ontario
(TFO originates from Toronto)
callsign_meaning = CHaîne Langue Française
owner = Government of Ontario
former_affiliations = TVOntario
homepage = [http://www.tfo.org/ TFO]

TFO is a Canadian French language educational public television network in the province of Ontario. It is the only French-language television network in Canada whose operations are based entirely outside of Quebec.

Formerly owned and operated by TVOntario, TFO became an independent agency of the provincial government of Ontario in 2007.

TFO is available only on cable in most areas of the province, although the network does also broadcast over the air in some communities in Eastern and Northern Ontario with significant Franco-Ontarian populations. All cable companies in Ontario are required to carry the network regardless of its local broadcast availability. TFO is also carried via satellite on Bell TV channel 137. It was also seen on Star Choice channel 763 until August 28, 2008, when the service dropped the channel. [ [http://forums.canadian-tv.com/showthread.php?t=28444 canadian-tv.com: "SC removes TFO from channel lineup"] ]

TFO is also a partner in TV5 Canada.

History

TFO launched in 1987 as La Chaîne Française, and was renamed "TFO" (short for Télé-Française d'Ontario) in 1994.

Prior to the launch of La Chaîne, TVO broadcast in French on Sundays from noon until sign-off. For the first several years of La Chaîne's operations, this continued and La Chaîne broadcast in English during the same time block, because TFO was only available on cable and the government wanted to ensure that Franco-Ontarian viewers without cable still had access to a block of French-language programming. As transmitters were added in a number of French-speaking communities, the practice was eventually discontinued.

TFO is also available to cable viewers in New Brunswick, as the government of New Brunswick does not have the financial resources to offer its own French-language public television network. Consequently, all program announcements on TFO provide airtimes for both Ontario and Acadia. TFO has also applied to the CRTC for mandatory cable carriage in Quebec, but was refused because Quebec already has a similar service, Télé-Québec. However, some cable companies in Quebec offer TFO at their own discretion. An example of this is Vidéotron, which added the station to its "Illico" Digital cable service, on channel 94 on September 30, 2004.As part of a restructuring of TVOntario announced by the McGuinty government on June 29, 2006 [ [http://www.cnw.ca/en/releases/archive/June2006/29/c7102.html TVOntario restructuring] ] , TFO was taken over by a new, separate provincial Crown corporation, the Ontario French-Language Educational Communications Authority ("Office des télécommunications éducatives de langue française de l’Ontario" or "OTÉLFO") [ [http://www.tfo.org/cfmx/tfoorg/tfo/a_propos_de_tfo/communiques/index.cfm?details&id=11385 TFO press release] , April 23, 2007 fr icon] in 2007, with separate management and its own budget.cite web | url=http://www.tvontario.org/pressrls/MinistryEd_Rel_Eng.pdf | format=PDF | title=McGuinty Government Transforms TVOntario | publisher=Ontario Ministry of Education | date=2006-06-29 | accessdate=2006-06-29 ] Although the licence transfer was not officially approved by the CRTC until June 28, 2007, TFO nonetheless announced its autonomy from TVOntario effective April 1, 2007. [ [http://www.tfo.org/cfmx/tfoorg/tfo/a_propos_de_tfo/communiques/index.cfm?details&id=10833 TFO press release] , March 23, 2007 fr icon]

The network's first independent chair is Gisèle Chrétien.

Programming

Current programs include a range of children's programming, documentaries, and films. Due to the limited commercial media service available to Franco-Ontarians, TFO has also invested in drama and comedy programming. The drama series "Francoeur", launched in 2003, and the sitcom "Météo+", launched in 2008, were each the first French language program of their type ever produced for a Franco-Ontarian audience.

Children's programming

A partial list of the children's programs includes:
* French versions of animated children’s series such as "Arthur", "Franklin" (as "Benjamin"), "Timothy Goes To School" and "The Magic School Bus".
*"Bon appétit les enfants" (the title means “Have a good meal, kids”) is a show about food and eating customs around the world.
*"C’est pas sorcier" (the title means “It’s not magic”) is a series about two children who travel the world to learn about science. Each show depicts simple activities and observations that enable children to learn about a major scientific theory.
*"École est finie (L’)" (the title means “School's Out”) shows what activities children around the world do after school, such as games, sports, chores, family activities, and individual activities.
*"Coups de génies" (the title means “Genius’ Ideas”) is about two students that have special superpowers that allow them to become scientific geniuses.
*"Montre-moi ton école" (the title means “Show me your school”) is a series that takes a world tour of different schools, with 26 children leading a tour of their local schools.

Documentary series

Documentary programs and series include:
* "Sciences et nature" (“Science and Nature”) is a documentary series that demystifies the world around us and presents new discoveries. Specific documentaries have featured topics such as wolves and bison.
*"Sciences humaines" (“Life sciences”) is a documentary series that looks at various aspects of human life and experience, such as laughter, pain, crying, sleep, breathing, death, etc.

Other programming

Other programs that have aired on TFO include:
* "Panorama"
* "Volt"
* "Méga TFO"

TFO transmitters

All of the station's broadcast transmitters have the call sign CHLF, followed by a number to denote their status as rebroadcasters. The network's first broadcast transmitter was added in Sudbury in 1989. The Sudbury transmitter is the network's most powerful, and is "numbered" as the primary transmitter, although for CRTC purposes the transmitter CHLF-2 in Hawkesbury is listed as the primary station, presumably because this transmitter reaches into the Montreal television market (though just barely).

Besides Sudbury, Hawkesbury, Temiskaming Shores and Pembroke, all other communities that receive TFO on the regular airwaves are isolated communities in Northern Ontario, many of which also receive the Ontario Parliament Network over the regular airwaves as well.

In addition to local cable services, TFO is available across Canada on Bell TV channel 137, Star Choice channel 736 and Look TV channel 72.

As part of the transfer of TFO to its own management, the transmitters in Sultan, Oba and Jogues will be taken out of service. [ [http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2007/db2007-208.htm Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2007-208 ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.tfo.org/ TFO] fr icon