TFO

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CHLF-TV
Hawkesbury, Ontario (TFO originates from Toronto, Ontario)
Branding	TFO
Slogan	"C'est notre affaire."
Channels	39 (UHF) and Cable 13 (Hawkesbury) analog
Affiliations	None (educational)
Owner	Ontario Educational Communications Authority
Founded	January 1, 1987
Call letters meaning	CHaîne L Française
Former affiliations	None
Website	http://www.tfo.org/

TFO is a French language educational public television network in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is owned and operated by TVOntario, and is the only French-language television network in Canada which operates entirely outside of Quebec.

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 ExpressVu channel 137 and StarChoice channel 763.

Contents 1 History 2 Programming 2.1 Children's Programming 2.2 Documentary Series 2.3 Other Programming 3 TFO transmitters 4 Recent Developments 5 TFO communities and channels 6 References 7 External links

[edit] History

TFO launched in 1987 as La Chaîne Française, and was rebranded as 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 variety 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 Acadie. 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 do offer TFO at their own discretion.

[edit] Programming

Current programs include a range of children's programming, documentaries, and films.

[edit] 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) 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.
• Timothée va à l’école (“Timothy Goes To School”) is an animated series about a five-year-old raccoon who goes to school with children (both the anthropormorphic animal students and the show's human viewers) for the first time.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Other Programming

Other programs that have aired on TFO include:

• Francoeur
• Panorama
• Volt
• Méga TFO

[edit] 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. However, for CRTC purposes the transmitter CHLF-2 in Hawkesbury is listed as the station's primary broadcast transmitter, possibly because this transmitter reaches into the Montreal television market.

Besides Sudbury, Hawkesbury 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 Legislature channel over the regular airwaves as well.

[edit] Recent Developments

As part of a restructuring of TVOntario announced by the McGuinty government on June 29, 2006, TFO is expected to be taken over by a new, separate provincial Crown corporation with separate management and its own budget. The date of this change has not been announced, although the government has asked the TVOntario board to prepare a transition plan by the end of 2006. ^[1]

[edit] TFO communities and channels

• Brethour - 26
• Evanturel - 22
• Greater Sudbury - 25
• Greenstone (Longlac) - 17
• Greenstone (Nakina) - 9
• Harris Township - 16
• Hawk Junction - 19
• Hawkesbury - 39
• Jogues - 22
• Kaboni - 28
• Kirby's Corner - 51
• Lac-Ste-Thérèse - 32
• New Osnaburgh - 20
• Oba - 17
• Pembroke - 17
• Sultan - 28
• Summer Beaver - 11
• Val Rita - 28

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Site (French)
• Ontario Educational Communications Authority
• TVOntario restructuring

Broadcast television networks and systems in Canada
English networks/systems: CBC | CTV | Global | CH | Citytv | A-Channel
French networks: Radio-Canada | TQS | TVA
Multi-language networks/systems: OMNI | APTN
Provincial educational networks: TVO · TFO · ACCESS · SCN · Knowledge Network · Télé-Québec Regional sub-systems: NTV/GWTV | CTV Northern Ont. | CTV Atlantic
See Also: Local Canadian TV Stations | Local American TV Stations (K) | Local American TV Stations (W) | North American TV | Canadian networks | American networks | Mexican networks | Superstations | List of local television stations in North America | Local Mexican TV Stations | List of American Over-The-Air Networks | Template:Insular Areas TV | List of Canadian Over-The-Air Networks