It's an age-old argument: what was the first official radio station in the world? Some Americans will tell you it was KDKA Pittsburgh, which went on the air in November 1920. Others will say WWJ Detroit, which it says took to the airwaves in August of that same year. But Canadians - including RCI - claim it was XWA in Montreal, which officially received its licence on this day (Dec. 1) in 1919, some 96 years ago and began regular programming in May 1920.

RCI: December 1, 1919 -The first official radio station gets its licence

It's telling that the world's first station - which became CFCF - no longer exists, a victim of AM listenership decline in a province where English is almost a de facto second language. KDKA and WWJ, however, are both still there and will celebrate 100 years on the air in 2020.