TVA is a private commercial French-language television network in Quebec. Owned by Quebecor Média, it only has affiliates in Quebec, although the affiliates in Rivière-du-Loup and Carleton have rebroadcast transmitters in New Brunswick. It is also available on cable across Canada.

Incorporated in 1960 as Télé-Metropole by Joseph-Alexandre DeSève, the network officially became TVA when it acquired stations owned by rival broadcaster Pathonic. TVA owns six of the ten stations on its network, and has a 45 per cent interest in Télé Inter-Rives, the owner of two of its other four affiliates.

TVA also owns Le Canal Nouvelles, Canada's only private French-language headline news channel. When TVA completes its broadcast day, the TVA stations simulcast LCN until TVA's next broadcast day begins. As well, the company owns a magazine publishing division unit, a film production and distribution house, and a number of other Internet and cable properties, many of which are often used to cross-promote TVA series and events.

In 1998, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission made it compulsory for all cable systems in Canada to carry a TVA station, in order to improve service to Canada's francophone minority communities. The station offered is usually the network's Montreal flagship, CFTM, although some cable companies in Ontario and New Brunswick substitute the affiliates from Gatineau, Rouyn-Noranda or Rivière-du-Loup, generally because they were already offering these stations before TVA carriage became mandatory.

CFTM also provides a time-shifted feed for Western Canadian cable companies.

On August 20, 2004, it was announced that TVA would purchase the majority interest in Toronto, Ontario's Toronto One television station (CKXT). This will be the company's first English-language television station. It will continue to be run as an independent station, not as a TVA affiliate. The deal was concluded on December 2, 2004. In early 2005, TVA confirmed to The Globe and Mail that they will continue to look for other expansion opportunities in English Canada.

Programming

See List of programs broadcast by TVA.

Slogan

• Current: "Le sens de la télé" (Television's sense)

Stations

TVA-owned

• CFTM - Montreal, Quebec
• CFCM - Quebec City, Quebec
• CHLT - Sherbrooke, Quebec
• CFER - Rimouski, Quebec
• CJPM - Saguenay, Quebec
• CHEM - Trois-Rivières, Quebec

Regional affiliates

• CFEM - Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec
• CHAU - Carleton, Quebec
• CIMT - Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec
• CHOT - Gatineau, Quebec

Independent station

• CKXT - Toronto, Ontario. This station is owned by TVA and Sun Media, but broadcasts in English and is operated as an independent station, not a TVA affiliate.

See also

• List of Quebec television channels
• List of Quebec television series
• Television of Quebec
• Culture of Quebec
• Media in Canada
• List of Canadian television channels

External link

• Official website