The AC Top 1000 - What Criteria is Used to Determine the Winners?

What criteria is used to determine the AC Top 1000 Content Producers? I have been asked this question several times in the past 24 hours. After scouring the forums, and Associated Content's documentation, the only official reference to the Top 1000 awards that I could find was this quote from Michael Street in the original 2007 PMA nomination forum:

"AC Top 1000 Content Producers will be determined by total content views generated in 2007."

Well, that seems straight forward enough. However, after seeing the Content Producer pages of a few of the folks who won, and others who didn't, it appears that page views alone may not have been the only criteria that was used to determine the winners.

I have seen Content Producers who have very good page views and clout ratings who did not receive the award. I have also seen a few who have much lower page views and clout ratings who received the award.

So, in the kind spirit of uplifting and encouraging one another in this journey here on Associated Content, I would love to hear from any of you who might have the inside scoop on what it takes to win this award.

Winners, or even those of us who are "badge challenged," let us know what you think. It would be very nice to have an official, detailed set of benchmarks for next years awards. Maybe with your input, AC will choose to give us that.

Here is a little food for thought regarding some of the criteria that might have been used:

1. Date first article was published?
2. Number of articles published?
3. Topic choices?
4. Number of page views (obviously)?
5. The frequency that articles are published?
6. Participation in the forums?
7. Acceptance and/or completion of calls for content?
8. Average number of comments received per article published?
9. If you have ever made the administration mad in the past (don't laugh)?
And so on.

Oh, and I almost forgot...

Congratulations to Pam Gaulin and all of the 2007 PMA winners!