Sparks worked in several regional radio stations before moving to Sydney in the 1970s, where he managed to score a role on air at the then-top-rated AM station 2SM as Ron E. Sparx,[1] and quickly became one of Sydney's most respected announcers, interviewing many stars of the day.

In an interview, Sparks stated that 2SM had broader Top 40 content, playing everything from AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, to Barbra Streisand and Benny Hill's milkman song.

It was originally added by program director Rod Muir, who thought that "Ronnie Sparx" sounded too immature, and wanted Sparks to transition gradually to using just "Ron", which he had resisted doing.

One morning in 2001, Sparks arrived for his shift to find the studio smelling of stale smoke, and littered with cigarette butts, some of which were floating in glasses of water.

[7] Sparks had used permanent marker, which destroyed several hundred dollars' worth of equipment, and he was sacked immediately following his shift that day.