European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 3, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Memphis Wydia saw the Light with Black radio by Woody Baird Quot the associated press a Black announcer on the radio a Black Man chatting with his audience and spinning records just like a White Guy today it would be shocking to be surprised but in 1948 it caused a stir. A there were angry Calls and some advertisers took their products off the air a said Rufus Thomas one of the first Black announcers for Wydia radio. Still one of Memphis top stations Wydia was the first in the South with an All Black on air staff. It was the first nationwide to direct its programming totally at a Black audience and the first Allback station to broadcast at 50,000 Watts. The station helped begin the careers of . King and Isaac Hayes among others and eased the Way for Blacks throughout the country to break into broadcasting. A it opened the Way for people who done to even know it opened the Way a said Maurice Hulbert a Wydia announcer from 1949 to 1951. And although the stations White owners made it All Black solely As a business Gamble Wydia soon became a valued part of Black life in Memphis Tenn. A it became a voice. The people Felt it was their station a said Hulbert now general manager of stations in Baltimore. The key to a dial a financial Success seems simple now. But Back then few radio advertisers saw a need to target Black Consumers. Wydia went for them and the advertisers soon realized they had ignored a ready Market. Memphis was 40 percent Black. Its 55 percent Black now. A they caused a revolution in broadcasting. Once Wydia started it everybody jumped in a said Louis Cantor author of Wheeling on Beale a new Book on Wydia. The station went on the. Air in 1947 at 250 Watts. It was going broke by the following year when founder Bert Ferguson hired Nat d. Williams a Black High school teacher As Host of a 20-minute program called the Tan town Jamboree. A they knew immediately they had hit a Gold mine a Canton said while in town for a Wydia reunion sponsored by the Center for Southern folklore. A year after Williams went on the air a dial son air staff was All Black. Die station focused on blues rhythm and blues and gospel music All of which still make up Wydia s programming. Wydia also got heavily involved in Community projects. Calling itself a the Goodwill station a it collected food and clothes for the needy and held Christmas parties for poor children. A Owdia did things other people did no to do a Thomas said. A we had a lost and found department and we found anything a horses mules. We got people together who had been apart 30 or 40 one listener called to say he had lost his false Teeth and gave the general part of town where he thought they might be. A someone found them and brought them to the ass Jim cel Rufas Thomas one of a dial a first Black announcers jokes with soldiers in Babenhausen Germany in 1975. Station a said Thomas a longtime Memphis entertainer who recorded at Sun records in the Early 50s and for stax in the �?T60s. Bobby Blue Bland Johnny Ace Roscoe Gordon and Earl Forest Cut some of their first recordings at Wydia. Albert King Junior Parker and Little Milton got their first major exposure there. Isaac Hayes and Thomas daughter Carla were members of the stations a teen town . King picked up his stage name while working As a Wydia disc jockey from 1949 to 1955. He was known then As the a Beale Street blues boy and later As simply his real name is Riley King. King refers to Beale Street and Wydia As his a College of he opened a club on Beale Street last year though he still spends much of his time performing around the country. Williams now deceased quickly became a Memphis celebrity through Wydia. He was soon joined at the station by Hulbert who had been putting on stage shows around the country and looking without Success for a radio Job. Hulbert said he thought Little at the time about becoming a part of Southern broadcast history. A the word a Pioneer Wasny to even in my mind. It might have been in nates mind because he was such a smart Man a Hulbert said. A i was just in its Early years Wydia avoided politics but aided the struggle against racial segregation by raising Black Pride and sense of Community said Cantor a history teacher at Indiana University Purdue University at fort Wayne ind. Cantor was a broadcast Engineer at Wydia in the 1950s while attending Memphis state. Although the station Drew its critics they were not As vigorous As Wydia owners feared they might be Cantor said. A they never set out to make Waves. They did no to come on making a big Deal that they were going to be a Black radio station a he said. A it just Mca record King gained while spinning Wydia records. A 4 zat a / int Aprim Isaac Hayes was a station a teen town May 3, 1992 sunday a Page 7
