Franco-Albertan Media
Since the beginning of the 20th century, Alberta's Francophone communities have been surrounded by popular culture that reflects a largely Anglophone perspective. In this environment, successful efforts ensure that there is a French influence and accessibility in media.
In the 1920s and 1930s, English radio and therefore English culture found its way into Francophone households. Broadcasting was in English and content reflected Anglophone values and interests.
- Francophones lobbied for French and a bilingual radio, but French broadcasting was limited.
- The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) did not penetrate outside of Québec in its early years. Even then, it aired minimal bilingual broadcasting.
- In 1941, Board of Governors of the CBC granted licenses for private Francophone radio stations in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and CHFA officially opened in Edmonton.
Protestant and Anglophone factions resented the new stations and saw them as a threat to Anglicization of the province. Some Alberta politicians petitioned the CBC to remove bilingual and French programming. However, the service continued.
- CHFA Edmonton radio was sold to Radio-Canada, and listeners from across the province could tune in for all-French broadcasting from the Société Radio-Canada.
- French Television stations now available across Alberta include TV5, TVA and the French-language news channel, RDI.
French newspapers in the province have an even longer history.
- Fred Villeneuve published the first Franco-Albertan paper, L'Ouest Canadien, in 1898 – 1900.
- La Survivance was launched on November 16, 1928, La Survivance was published by the Association des Canadiens Français de l'Alberta (ACFA ). During the 1940s and 1950s, La Survivance would act as an advocate for French broadcasting.
- In 1967, La Survivance became the weekly Le Franco-Albertain (and later simply Le Franco). It carried French language news and general interest stories across the province.
