27 Andrew Bolt

No matter what you think of his provocative views, News Ltd columnist Andrew Bolt should not be underestimated; he’s writes with more verve than any other conservative commenter, he’s got his own political TV talk show and he blogs like a man possessed.

No-one else in the country uses the medium as effectively to ram home a point, whip up outrage, tear down opponents and mobilise his supporters than Bolt.

"He converts the doubters, he makes arguments for people -- that's why he's influential," says Liberal party grandee Michael Kroger (who tried to enlist Bolt to run for parliament).

Union boss Paul Howes and Mark Latham also rate him as a devastating advocate for the conservative cause. He’s been particularly successful at undermining trust in the science of man-made climate change and fomenting opposition to a carbon tax.

That said, Bolt’s influence has declined since we named him our most powerful “Media Megaphone” a year ago. MTR, the Melbourne radio station he appeared on daily, has folded, and Channel Ten’s The Bolt Report is easily out-rated by the ABC’s Insiders. He’s also less inclined to air his views on race since the Federal Court found him guilty of racial discrimination last September.

*For more on Andrew Bolt see the original profile.