Radio / Television News

TFO celebrates 25 years with launch of interactive edutainment web platform


TORONTO – Groupe Média TFO has been delivering quality French-language educational and cultural media content free of charge for 25 years and to celebrate it’s launching the Mini TFO interactive Web platform. A dynamic interactive space for younger children made possible through the support of the Ontario Ministry of Education

The new edutainment offering from TFO invites pre-school children to explore a variety of educational concepts through original, entertaining games and videos, along with songs and nursery rhymes. Together with characters from their favourite TFO television series and Mini TFO hosts Louis and Josée, children will discover how situations from their day-to-day lives can be full of extraordinary emotions and challenges.

Groupe Média TFO President and Chief Executive Officer Glenn O'Farrel noted a recent U.S. study found 38% of all children age 0 to 8 in that country use tablet computers or smart phones, and this figure is growing steadily. "According to this same study, 57% of U.S. children use tablets for educational activities."

The new site is designed to make it easier for teachers to meet the requirements of Ontario's new full-day junior and senior kindergarten programs. To develop the project, TFO partnered with Bayard Jeunesse to produce five categories of games—action, creation, discovery, music, and observation.

Speaking at the launch, Ontario's Minister of Education, Laurel Broten thanked the TFO for promoting Ontario's rich Francophone culture through its lively, diverse programs and services.

"TFO plays a crucial role in our province's French-language schools and Francophone communities. TFO helps children to build their French reading and writing skills and perform well in school."

"We wanted to let TFO leverage our expertise for the benefit of children's education. The educational resources on the new Mini TFO site are grouped into categories identified by icons or characters, so that children can easily find their favourite activities or discover new ones, according to their own interests and needs,” explains Chloé Benaroya, Tribal Nova's Vice-President for Consulting and Services.

The new site was designed by Tribal Nova, a company that specializes in developing and operating educational online services, applications, and games for pre-school children. The company markets its products and services on several continents in partnership with major players such as PBS in the United States (www.pbskidsplay.org), Éditions Bayard in France (www.bayardkids.com, and the CBC in Canada www.kidscbcwonderworld.ca). Tribal Nova is owned by its two co-founders, Guillaume Aniorté and Pierre Le Lann, along with DHX Media and Éditions Bayard.