Bill Cameron
Encyclopedia
William "Bill" Cameron was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
. A Gemini Award
winner, he was a news anchor, television producer
, columnist
and author. After attending the University of Toronto
and spending time in New York City
pursuing a career in acting, he got his start on CBC Radio
as a freelance entertainment critic in the 1960s before moving on to Maclean's
magazine where he was an associate editor and then to Global TV
in 1978 as host of Newsweek.
In the 1980s, Cameron worked for Citytv
as the late night anchor for CityPulse, but was let go in 1983. Cameron's best known for his work on the CBC television
from 1983 to 1999, where he co-hosted Midday
, was a reporter on documentaries and an occasional anchor of The Journal, and later anchored the local evening news on CBLT in Toronto
, the CBC Morning News in Halifax, and the afternoon show Newsworld International on CBC Newsworld
. He left the CBC in 1999 to become vice president
of communications for an online financial marketing firm. His brief corporate career ended in 2000 and he returned to journalism and writing. He also took the ethics
chair at the Ryerson
School of Journalism and freelanced for the National Post
and The Walrus
.
In 2003, he released a novel Cat's Crossing, published by Random House
of Canada. His second novel, Dent In America, was nearly finished by the time of his death and was never published. He also had a cameo role on the comedy series Puppets Who Kill
as the newsreader reporting on the latest murders by the show's homicidal puppets.
Cameron was married to Cheryl Hawkes, a freelance journalist (and formerly with the Toronto Star
), with whom he had three children - Patrick, Rachel and Nicholas. He also had an elder son, Sean Patenaude. Bill Cameron died of esophageal cancer
on March 12, 2005.
In his last piece of journalism, the Crab, Cameron documented his battle with cancer. The essay appeared in the May 2005 issue of The Walrus
. It won two gold medals at the 2006 Canadian National Magazine Awards.
In May, 2007, the Toronto General and Western Hospital Foundation set up the Bill Cameron Fund to raise money for esophageal cancer research and patient care. A laneway, Bill Cameron Lane, near Hepbourne and College streets was named in his honour. It is located near the Cameron home and where his children used to play.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. A Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...
winner, he was a news anchor, television producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
, columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
and author. After attending the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and spending time in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
pursuing a career in acting, he got his start on CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
as a freelance entertainment critic in the 1960s before moving on to Maclean's
Maclean's
Maclean's is a Canadian weekly news magazine, reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events.-History:Founded in 1905 by Toronto journalist/entrepreneur Lt.-Col. John Bayne Maclean, a 43-year-old trade magazine publisher who purchased an advertising agency's in-house...
magazine where he was an associate editor and then to Global TV
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
in 1978 as host of Newsweek.
In the 1980s, Cameron worked for Citytv
Citytv
Citytv is a Canadian English language television system owned and operated by Rogers Communications under its Rogers Broadcasting Ltd. division...
as the late night anchor for CityPulse, but was let go in 1983. Cameron's best known for his work on the CBC television
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
from 1983 to 1999, where he co-hosted Midday
Midday (TV series)
Midday can refer to:*Midday *Midday *Midday...
, was a reporter on documentaries and an occasional anchor of The Journal, and later anchored the local evening news on CBLT in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, the CBC Morning News in Halifax, and the afternoon show Newsworld International on CBC Newsworld
CBC Newsworld
CBC News Network is a Canadian English language Category C specialty news channel owned and operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation . It broadcasts into over 10 million homes in Canada. It is the world's third-oldest television service of this nature, after CNN in the United States and...
. He left the CBC in 1999 to become vice president
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
of communications for an online financial marketing firm. His brief corporate career ended in 2000 and he returned to journalism and writing. He also took the ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
chair at the Ryerson
Ryerson University
Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden...
School of Journalism and freelanced for the National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
and The Walrus
The Walrus
The Walrus is a Canadian general interest magazine which publishes long form journalism on Canadian and international affairs, along with fiction and poetry by Canadian writers. It launched in September 2003, as an attempt to create a Canadian equivalent to American magazines such as Harper's, The...
.
In 2003, he released a novel Cat's Crossing, published by Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
of Canada. His second novel, Dent In America, was nearly finished by the time of his death and was never published. He also had a cameo role on the comedy series Puppets Who Kill
Puppets Who Kill
Puppets Who Kill is a Canadian television comedy programme co-produced by The Comedy Network. It premiered in Canada on the Comedy Network in 2002, and in Australia on The Comedy Channel in 2004....
as the newsreader reporting on the latest murders by the show's homicidal puppets.
Cameron was married to Cheryl Hawkes, a freelance journalist (and formerly with the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
), with whom he had three children - Patrick, Rachel and Nicholas. He also had an elder son, Sean Patenaude. Bill Cameron died of esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
on March 12, 2005.
In his last piece of journalism, the Crab, Cameron documented his battle with cancer. The essay appeared in the May 2005 issue of The Walrus
The Walrus
The Walrus is a Canadian general interest magazine which publishes long form journalism on Canadian and international affairs, along with fiction and poetry by Canadian writers. It launched in September 2003, as an attempt to create a Canadian equivalent to American magazines such as Harper's, The...
. It won two gold medals at the 2006 Canadian National Magazine Awards.
In May, 2007, the Toronto General and Western Hospital Foundation set up the Bill Cameron Fund to raise money for esophageal cancer research and patient care. A laneway, Bill Cameron Lane, near Hepbourne and College streets was named in his honour. It is located near the Cameron home and where his children used to play.
External links
- CBC.ca News: Journalist Bill Cameron dies
- CBC.ca News: 'Walrus,' Bill Cameron winners at magazine awards
- CTV.ca Veteran Canadian journalist Bill Cameron dies
- Good night and Good luck profile of Cameron in the Ryerson Review of Journalism
- CBC Archives: Remembering Bill Cameron