Talkers.com, the self-described “Bible of Talk Radio” and the most influential website covering radio talk, has again named WISN-AM’s Mark Belling among the most important talk hosts in the country. No host in a radio market in America smaller than Milwaukee was higher on the list than Mark. At #55, he was one of the highest rated local talk hosts, in terms of importance, in America. Most hosts ranked higher had national programs.
Belling is one of only two hosts from Wisconsin to make the list. He was rated higher than any talk host in Chicago, even though that market dwarfs Milwaukee’s size. Talkers has been doing the list for over two decades and Mark has been on the list all but one year. The only other Wisconsin host on Talkers’ list, #93 ranked Jeff Wagner of WTMJ-AM, got his start as a fill-in host on the Belling show.
The Mark Belling Late Afternoon Show has dominated Milwaukee afternoon radio ratings for most of Belling’s 31-year career on the air in Milwaukee. The show airs from 3-6 pm on WISN-AM 1130 and numerous online platforms including iHeartRadio. The show can also be heard in podcast for form. Mark was a frequent guest host on the Rush Limbaugh Show for 18 years and hosted one of Milwaukee TV’s longest running local shows, Belling and Company for 18 years.
The Talkers “Heavy Hundred List,” ranked Sean Hannity as the #1 talk show host in the United States and Limbaugh’s show is second. Mark Levin is fourth. Overnight national host George Noory appears farther down on the list. Counting Belling, that means five daily WISN shows are on the Talkers Heavy Hundred list.
