 In 1949, station WDIA in Memphis, Tennessee became the first to employ an all-black on-air announcing staff, broadcasting blues, gospel, and various talk programs, acquiring the right to broadcast at a higher wattage. The station boosted their signal from 250 to 50,000 watts and was now capable of reaching as far north as Missouri and as far south as the Gulf Coast. That range included about 10% of the black population of the United States, which in turn garnered substantial advertising revenues.