After 84 years of good and loyal service, the National Research Council’s beep giving the time once a day on the radio has gone out. The cause was the fear that the clock was not entirely accurate.
Without fanfare, a radio station put an end to its iconic “beeps” started on November 5, 1939. That day, the CBC Radio One broadcasts for the first time the sound signal of the National Research Council (NRC) in Canada. A few short beeps then a long one which indicates the start of the time in the country: 1 p.m. in Ontario, 10 a.m. in British Columbia. Every day, Canadians set their watches to sound. Thanks to it, trains become more punctual, sailors navigate more precisely and beeps become a reassuring element of daily life.
However, they have last sounded on October 9, 2023. The news was received with emotion by many people and everyone gave their testimony. This woman who trained her dog to sit every time the long beep plays to receive a treat. This Canadian expat in China who stayed up until midnight to hear the signal because it reminded him of home. “Even if you weren’t a frequent CBC listener, most people have heard [les bips] at least once in their life” explains Craig Baird, host of a podcast on Canadian history.
Once-daily time signal on Canadian radio goes dark after 84 years
But why put an end to such an institution? Especially since Canadians no longer relied on it to adjust their devices for a long time. CBC spokesperson Emma Iannetta talks about a lack of precision of the system. “We share many people’s nostalgia for the daily time announcement, but Canadians also count on us for accurate information. With all the different distribution methods we use today, we can no longer guarantee the accuracy of time announcements.
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Does this mean that Canada has never been on time since 1939? No way. The radio signal came from a cesium atomic clock, an extremely precise system. In 2018, the installation of digital radio transmitters at the NRC resulted in a 9 second delay, quickly resolved. To mark the end of this era, a Canadian artist paid tribute to the famous beeps through a song with a well-known tune.
Source: The Guardian