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The program was developed by the fledgling FOX News Channel in 1996 to compete with CNN’s Larry King Live and recruited two of the country’s most able radio political commentators in conservative, Sean Hannity and liberal, Alan Colmes. Both veteran radio talkers, Hannity and Colmes’ nightly performances are now the standard by which “right vs. left” TV talk shows are judged and in the tradition of Larry King, have shown the world that the concept of talk radio can work very effectively on television. A case can be made that the program “Hannity & Colmes” has played a key role in defining the essence of the new brand of cable news/talk television that has done such an effective job of expanding the parameters of what TALKERS magazine collectively refers to as “The New Talk Media.”

They are the only duo included on this list in either radio or television because of their already-achieved big picture importance when the history of present-day talk media is written 25 years from now. Interestingly, although a phenomenally successful team on their FOX News Channel program, both Hannity and Colmes each maintain individual impressive careers quite separate from each other.

Sean Hannity began his radio career in California before moving to WVNN, Hunstville, then to WGST, Atlanta and finally WABC, New York. He was recently launched into syndication by the ABC Radio Networks and his show is one of the fastest rising in history. Add to that his recently published best seller, “Let Freedom Ring,” and you have a young giant on the rise who most likely will someday be on a future version of the radio side of this list.

Alan Colmes also has outstanding radio credentials having conducted successful talk shows on New York’s WNBC, WMCA, WABC and WEVD. Combining his earlier experience as one of New York’s leading stand up comedians with a firm grasp of current events and a natural talent for the broadcast microphone and you have an extremely professional political radio talker who combines zany humor with biting social relevance. At press time rumors abound that he is about to be signed by one of talk radio’s leading syndicators and industry expectations are that it, too, will be one of the hottest new shows in the business.

Although the success of their television careers is assured, both Sean Hannity and Alan Colmes display a sincere love of radio and contribute greatly to its stature.