Philatelic Programs on Early North American Radio

Abstract

Using scripts, publications, and philatelic press descriptions, this study investigates programs for stamp collectors in the early years of radio. NBC's Ivory Stamp Club of the Air was the most prominent of these. Syndicated and locally originated philatelic programming was widespread in the late 1930s and continued into the 1960s in Canada and the USA. Some programs appealed to kids but others were targeted at adults and sophisticated collectors. A strong male bias pervaded the programming. Culturally, appeals to patriotic and nationalistic pride were common, with programs providing stories behind why stamps commemorated certain events in the issuing nations' histories.

Notes

¹The weekly and life of program totals Youngblood gives do not match the length of the program's on-air run.

²A second issue was created to satisfy demand after the first issue's supply was exhausted.