Rush Limbaugh (r.) was named the top talk radio host in the country by a respected trade magazine, with Sean Hannity (l.) and Glenn Beck.

Rush Limbaugh remains the top dog in talk radio, says the influential trade magazine Talkers.

The magazine has just released its annual "Heavy Hundred" list – a reference to influence, not weight, and it praises Limbaugh as "the most-listened-to talk host and more relevant culturally than ever."

The top rungs of the list also confirm something that No. 2 talker, Sean Hannity, said on the eve of the 2008 Presidential election.  "I don't think it would be good for the country if Barack Obama is elected President," Hannity said. "But I have to say it would be great for talk radio."

Sixteen months later, the debate continues over Hannity's first point. There's no question he was right about the second one, because having a "bad guy" in the White House has sent a surge of electricity through the talk radio world.

The top four talkers - Limbaugh, Hannity, Glenn Beck and Michael Savage – have all been non-stop, full-time critics of pretty much everything about Obama except his shoelaces and his toothpaste.

The top 10 also includes non-Obama fans Laura Ingraham, No. 6, and Mark Levin, No. 8.

In fact, advice guru Dr. Laura Schlessinger (No. 5), and finance guys Dave Ramsey (No. 7) and Lou Dobbs (No. 9) don't much care for Obama, either.

Only Thom Hartmann, at No. 10, has had any encouraging words for the prez.

Talkers publisher Michael Harrison, a former morning host at WNEW-FM in New York, says the list is compiled on "courage, effort, impact, longevity, potential, ratings, recognition, revenue, service, talent and uniqueness."

He has repeatedly stressed that the list is subjective, "as much art as science."

While conservative talkers dominate the top of the list, this year's does have a growing presence of non-conservatives just below the top rung. Besides Hartmann, the top 25 includes Ed Schultz, Joe Madison, Alan Colmes and Stephanie Miller.

None have ratings approaching those of the top conservatives, but Talkers is clearly considering satellite radio, online listening and other non-traditional means of delivering the message.

Speaking of satellite, Howard Stern of Sirius XM comes in at No. 32, a big drop from his top-10 status when he was on terrestrial radio. Opie and Anthony of Sirius XM are No. 65.

WABC morning man Imus is No. 21, one notch below overnight "Coast to Coast" host George Noory, whose show recently was dropped by WABC.

Two hosts heard in New York on WNYM (970 AM) are in the top 25: Mike Gallagher at No. 19 and Michael Medvev at No. 23.

Curtis Sliwa, the new morning host at WNYM, is No. 87.

New York's two largest talk stations both are well represented in the top 100.

WABC (770 AM) has four of its five daytime hosts in the top 25: Imus, Rush, Sean and Levin.

Its other weekday hosts – John Batchelor, Doug McIntyre and Joe Scarborough/Mika Brezinzki – are all in the top 250. After ranking the top 100, Talkers lists another 150 hosts it considers important.

WOR (710 AM) has three top-10 hosts, with Beck, Savage and Dobbs. Dr. Joy Browne is No. 27, Steve Malzberg No. 56 and Joey Reynolds No. 76. Morning man John Gambling is in the top 250.

WWRL (1600 AM) has Hartmann, Schultz (No. 11), Colmes (No. 16), Miller (No. 24) and morning host Errol Louis at No. 90.

WFAN (660 AM) has morning team Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton at No. 35 and Mike Francesa at No. 48.

WEPN (1050 AM) has the Mike and Mike morning show at No. 43.

The Sunday "Open Line" team of Bob Slade, Bob Pickett and James Mtume of WRKS (98.7 FM) is in the top 250.

 

The top 25:

 

1. Rush Limbaugh 

2. Sean Hannity

3. Glenn Beck

4. Michael Savage

5. Dr. Laura Schlessinger 

6. Laura Ingraham

7. Dave Ramsey

8. Mark Levin

9. Lou Dobbs

10. Thom Hartmann

11. Ed Schultz

12. Joe Madison 

13. Neal Boortz

14. Mancow

15. Doug Stephan

16. Alan Colmes

17. Jerry Doyle

18. Bill Handel

19. Mike Gallagher

20. George Noory 

21. Don Imus

22. Jim Bohannan

23. Michael Medved

24. Stephanie Miller 

25. Bill Bennett

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