Documentary Organization of Canada
• 1983 – First meetings, first intervention letter. CIFC is founded in Toronto.
• 1985 – First newsletter is sent - by fax. It eventually becomes POV Magazine.
• 1988 – Montreal chapter (later to be known as Quebec chapter) is formed.
• 1991 – A National Executive is formed - John Walker, President.
• 1991 – First edition of POV Magazine, edited by Wyndham Wise – Geoff Bowie, first Publisher.
• 1994 – The first edition of Hot Docs is held- Paul Jay was Chair of CIFC and Founding Chair of Hot Docs!
• 1995 – Atlantic chapter is formed.
• 1996 – BC chapter is formed.
• 1997 – Hot Docs incorporates as a separate charitable organization.
• 1998 – First coast-to-coast National Executive elected - Gary Marcuse, Chair.
• 2003 – The CIFC changes its name to DOC.
• 2006 – Ottawa chapter is formed.
• 2006 – Newfoundland chapter is formed.
• 2007 – Winnipeg chapter is formed.
• 2008 – Alberta chapter is formed.
• 2009 – Newfoundland chapter folds.
Invention of the telephone
After Bell and Watson discovered on June 2, 1875, that movements of the reed alone in a magnetic field could reproduce the frequencies and timbre of spoken sound waves, Bell reasoned by analogy with the mechanical phonautograph that a skin diaphragm would reproduce sounds like the human ear when connected to a steel or iron reed or hinged armature. On July 1, 1875, he instructed Watson to build a receiver consisting of a stretched diaphragm or drum of goldbeater's skin with an armature of magnetized iron attached to its middle, and free to vibrate in front of the pole of an electromagnet in circuit with the line. A second membrane-device was built for use as a transmitter. This was the "gallows" phone. A few days later they were tried together, one at each end of the line, which ran from a room in the inventor's house, located at 5 Exeter Place in Boston, to the cellar underneath. Bell, in the work room, held one instrument in his hands, while Watson in the cellar listened at the other. Bell spoke into his instrument, "Do you understand what I say?" and Watson answered "Yes". However, the voice sounds were not distinct and the armature tended to stick to the electromagnet pole and tear the membrane.