News Release

French-Language TV Gets Its Own Voice

McGuinty Government Making TFO Independent

June 9, 2008

Ontario is strengthening French-language education and culture by giving autonomy to TFO, the province's French-language educational broadcaster.

Today, the Ontario Legislature passed Bill 55, which will officially make TFO a self-governed broadcaster, with a French working environment and a board that's reflective of Ontario's French-language communities.

The new Ontario French-language Educational Communications Authority (TFO) is a Crown corporation. TFO separated its operations from its sister station TVO last year but legislation was needed to make TFO's independence permanent.

To strengthen francophone culture in Ontario, TFO airs educational programming for young people, documentaries, current affairs shows and other programming that reflect Franco-Ontarian communities in all their diversity. TFO also produces online and multimedia materials to complement classroom learning for teachers and Ontario's 90,000 French-language students.

Quotes

"Our Franco-Ontarian communities deserve a strong and independent voice to communicate with each other and the world. Today, we made that voice permanent," said Education Minister Kathleen Wynne.

"We now have a broadcaster that is run by Franco-Ontarians, for Franco-Ontarians. And it's here to stay," said Madeleine Meilleur, Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs.

"I am touched by the outpouring of support for TFO from the Franco-Ontarian community. Our education partners told the government they need an independent TFO and the government listened," said Claudette Paquin, CEO of TFO.

"TFO is a vital service and it's now in a better position to support our students and teachers no matter where they are in the province," said Paul Taillefer, president of the Association des enseignantes et enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO).

Quick Facts

• Most of Ontario's French-language elementary and secondary school teachers regularly use TFO's programming in the classroom.
• TFO started broadcasting (as part of TVO) on January 1, 1987, and reaches 400,000 Ontario households.
• The new TFO has 130 employees and an annual budget of about $23 million per year.

Learn More

Find out about TFO's mission, programming and multimedia content. (French only)

Explore SOS Devoirs, TFO's homework help website. (French only)

Read about TFO's three new awards. (French only)

See also:

• Backgrounder: TFO: Ontario's Education Television…En français