Ron Cameron (sportscaster)

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.[8] His hiring was part of that station's successful format switch from pop music to talk radio.[9] 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.[10] An occasional guest co-host was future ESPN star Dick Vitale, former coach of the University of Detroit and Detroit Pistons basketball teams.[11] At WXYZ, Cameron was publicized as "Superfan" and appeared in advertisements in a Superman-type costume.[12]

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.[13] 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.[14][15]

WXYZ cancelled Cameron's sports talk show in September 1981 because of poor ratings with women and listeners 35 and older.[16][17][18]

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.[19]

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,[20][21] and then started a long partnership with WCAR in January 1983.[22] Cameron's later radio stations included WKSG-FM (late 1980s),[23] WLLZ-AM (mid 1990s), WHND-AM (mid to late 1990s),[24] CKLW (late 1990s),[25] WPON-AM (late 1990s),[26] WDFN (early 2010s)[27] and WCXI (late 2010s).

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.

Cameron's recent shows have developed a cult-like following in one of the most active discussion threads on the Michigan Radio and TV Buzzboard. Thread participants have expressed themselves through critical analysis, fact checking, satirical fiction, and song parodies.

Cameron's contract with WDTK was terminated May 1, 2023 after the alleged usage of racial slurs the previous day's show.

Cameron has also tried owning and managing radio stations. In June 1992, he bought a 1,000-watt radio station in Bradenton, FL (WJRB-AM), which was on the air for only five months before it went off the air and was put on the market for a new buyer.[28][29] He returned to Michigan in 1994 to buy a 3,000-watt radio station in Standish.[30] In 1997, he signed a three-year lease on radio station KMET in Banning, CA, but was back in Michigan in 1998.[31][32][33] In March 1999, he started work as general manager of KSBQ in Santa Maria, CA, but left the station about six months later to buy a minor league baseball team in Lafayette, Louisiana.[34][35]

In a newspaper column in the May 7, 1979 edition of the Detroit Free Press, Joe LaPointe wrote about the mixed feelings that Cameron had generated among sports fans, media, and athletes in the Detroit area. "In his sometimes bellicose discussions with fans and athletes, Cameron's sincerity and his affection for Detroit sports comes through," wrote LaPointe.[58]

A few months later, another Detroit Free Press sports columnist was not as diplomatic as LaPointe. "It is, I suggest, a sad commentary of the current state of affairs in our city that the only sports talk show in town is the Ron Cameron Comedy Hour on WXYZ radio," wrote Jim Hawkins on November 20, 1979. "The show, like its master of ceremonies, is a joke. Which would be fine except for the fact that the program isn't supposed to be funny."

In a feature article in 1990, Detroit Free Press Staff Writer Neal Rubin wrote, "The city's most opinionated sportscaster remains loud, irreverent, bombastic and either entertaining or obnoxious, depending on whether he is speaking to you or about you."

In 1992, when Cameron moved from Michigan to Florida to buy a radio station, Detroit Free Press TV/Radio Reporter Steve Crowe wrote, "At his worst, Cameron...came across as a rude, arrogant, obnoxious, and self-promoting name-dropper. Despite too much spit and not enough polish, the best Cameron offered was sometimes good. He practiced hit-and-miss journalism much of the way, but developed dandy local sources."[59]

In that same article, Cameron made some parting comments before leaving town. "I've stepped on a lot of toes, no question. That's the way I am, and that's not the way TV and radio stations are run in this town. But a lot of these stations are in bed with these teams and jock sniffers, and I'm just not like that."[60]

Cameron's on-air predictions have generated both praise and criticism.

In 1989, Cameron correctly reported that former University of Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler would become the next president of the Detroit Tigers baseball team.[61]

In 1990, Cameron reported that the Detroit Tigers would move its playing location from Detroit to suburban Dearborn. According to Cameron, "the new stadium would be privately funded by Tigers owner Tom Monaghan, with most of the money coming from the impending sale of Monaghan's Domino's Pizza chain."[62] Schembechler responded to Cameron's report by saying, "I have not yet discussed anything about the stadium. As far as I know that report is pure speculation."[63] Six months after Cameron's report, Dearborn Councilman Doug Thomas quoted an unnamed source from an investment company working with Domino's Pizza that the Dearborn stadium "will be completed in late 1993 or early 1994, in an area bounded by Ford, Greenfield, Southfield, and Paul roads."[64] In 1997, ground was broken in downtown Detroit for a new stadium for the Tigers. The Tigers moved into this stadium (Comerica Park) in 2000.