Radio Licenses

 Today being February 13, it is World Radio Day.  That reminded me of the Special Private Receiving Station Licenses from 1943-1947 that the Boultons dutifully kept as advised on the top of the form.  "Portable" was written on each and acknowledged that a two dollar license fee was paid each year to allow use of a radio at home. They were locally issued on behalf of the Canadian Minister of Munitions and Supply in both official languages 

Signatures indicate H. Bulloch and E. Pringle were authorized to issue the licenses. CS on the gray one in April of 1944 may be the signature of Cyril Standring but that's just an educated guess since he was postmaster during those years.  Places that sold radios as well as Post Offices were where licenses could be purchased.  I am presuming these were purchased at Reston Post Office. 

The first year they were required was 1928 and the last was in 1953.  There were Radio Inspectors who travelled the city and country looking for anyone operating one without a license. If these men saw a radio that was not licensed, they can and did prosecute. If the Inspector was spotted in town, word quickly spread and the radios were switched off and hid out of sight!  At one time, battery powered portable radios cost less to license than electric models.  Each radio in the house had its own license and if you had one in your vehicle, that required another.  

Are you curious where the money went? This site, which supplied much of the information for this post, seems to say the fees supported the inspectors but some money was also granted to the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission which would in 1936 become the CBC!  They requested the increase of licensing fees in 1949 and suggested a television license as well although I didn't find evidence in the Boulton Archives!

There's not many weekdays I don't ask Alexa to tune in the radio to Estevan station CJ1150  to see if our #2 son Scott is giving the news, weather and sports.  Long live radio!