Télévision Centrafricaine (TCF) is the national television station of Central African Republic. TCF broadcasts in French and Sango.
History
In March 1966, future self-proclaimed Emperor Jean-Bédel Bokassa received a plan from Israeli prime minister Golda Meir to install a television center in Bangui, the capital. Israeli aid was limited to financial support, as technical equipment came from France. In November 1969, the Israelis gained further credits to for its opening, without the need of a feasibility study. Its initial infrastructure consisted of a reporting van, and a black and white production center in Bangui (with two studios, 50 sq m and 150 sq m respectively). The production center was connected by terrestrial waves to a transmission center with a power of 2kW which made it possible to broadcast the broadcast signal over a radius of nearly 250km, thanks to a retransmitter installed in M'Baïki, located nearly 100km close to Bangui. The signal didn't reach the hinterland, which wasn't properly electrified at the time.[1]
At the time of its launch, five ORTF representatives went to Bangui to supervise the journalists, cameramen and other maintenance technicians, who had all received their studies at the National Audiovisual Institute in Paris, with more than five years of experience. Its estimated budget to operate was of CFA 150 million.[1]