Ron Cameron is a radio host in the Detroit area who helped popularize the sports talk radio format in the Detroit market. He has worked in that business off and on for more than 50 years, while also pursuing secondary careers in television, print publishing, and ownership of radio stations, restaurants, and sports teams.
Early life
Cameron was born in Detroit, Michigan on January 19, 1945. He grew up in the Parkside Housing project on the east side of Detroit. He dropped out of school in the ninth grade, and left home at 15 to escape a difficult family life. He then worked in a variety of jobs, including restaurant bus boy, hospital orderly, hotel elevator operator, and hotel night manager.
He grew up with a strong love of sports, according to a 1979 column by Detroit Free Press columnist Joe Lapointe, who met Cameron in 1967 at Tiger Stadium.
"During Tiger games, 'Superfan' Ron would sneak over to the empty box seats in my section and argue with the paying customers about sports," wrote LaPointe. "After the games, he would beg a few words with the ballplayers or umpires. Or concession stand boys. Or anybody. He loved to talk about sports."
In the early 1970s, Cameron worked as a minor league umpire for two years. In 1974, he ran umpiring schools in Roseville, MI and Brighton, MI. In the late 1970s, he helped umpire annual charity exhibition games between the Detroit Tigers and the Cincinnati Reds.
Radio
Cameron used his umpiring experience to start his radio career in 1971 when he worked with Norm Plummer of WWJ radio on a show titled "Ask the Umpire".
Later, Cameron hosted his own radio sports talk shows on WEXL (1975-1977) and WMZK-FM (1977-1978).
WXYZ
Cameron's big break in the radio business came in September 1978, when he was hired by talk radio station WXYZ to host a sports talk show. His hiring was part of that station's successful format switch from pop music to talk radio. That show soon grew in popularity, with Cameron interviewing many famous Detroit sports figures. In September 1980, George Blaha joined Cameron as co-host of Sportstalk. An occasional guest co-host was future ESPN star Dick Vitale, former coach of the University of Detroit and Detroit Pistons basketball teams. At WXYZ, Cameron was publicized as "Superfan" and appeared in advertisements in a Superman-type costume.
During Cameron's time at WXYZ, the sports talk format spread to other radio stations in the Detroit area, including WJR-AM, where Frank Beckmann hosted Sports Wrap starting in 1981. The increasing popularity of sports talk radio in the Detroit area later led to all-sports stations like WDFN and WXYT-FM. Before Cameron entered sports talk radio, one of the few such shows in the Detroit area was hosted from 1967 to 1970 on WXYZ-AM by WXYZ-TV sportscaster Dave Diles.
WXYZ cancelled Cameron's sports talk show in September 1981 because of poor ratings with women and listeners 35 and older.
After WXYZ
Cameron then embarked on an independent radio career using the time brokerage business model. Cameron purchases time on radio stations and sells that time to commercial sponsors. In between commercials, Cameron invites listeners to call in to the radio show with questions and comments.
This business model has led to contracts with many radio stations in the Detroit area, sometimes more than once. Cameron appeared on WQBH-AM for three weeks in 1982, and then started a long partnership with WCAR in January 1983. Cameron's later radio stations included WKSG-FM (late 1980s), WLLZ-AM (mid 1990s), WHND-AM (mid to late 1990s), CKLW (late 1990s), WPON-AM (late 1990s), WDFN (early 2010s) and WCXI (late 2010s).
Recent Shows
Since the mid-2010s, Cameron has hosted shows on mostly WDTK and WPON. During that time, his producer often joined the on-air discussions. His most recent shows have attracted a regular group of callers whose unique personalities and interests have essentially made these callers regular features of the show.
Cameron's radio guests in the mid-2010s and early 2020s have included older sports figures who no longer receive much attention on sports talk shows that are aimed at younger audiences. Many of these sports figures were interviewed a few years before they died. These deceased interviewees included Bob Wolff, Tommy Lasorda, Jud Heathcote, Bob Miller, and Jim Bunning. Other still-living interviewees have included Phil Regan, Charlie Maxwell, Jake Wood, and Boots Day. Cameron's show also has included regular appearances by Detroit area sports and media personalities like Ray Scott, Denny McLain, Jerry Green, Jim Devellano, Ken Holland, Paul Woods, Terry Foster, Rich Kincaide, and Mark Wilson.