How the ranking works
One ranking per category, made from public audience data, published once per season and never changed after.
Who can be an honoree?
Public creators in five categories, YouTube channels, podcasts, blogs, TikTok accounts and newsletters. Company newsrooms, government sites and accounts with signs of fake audiences are left out.
How is the score made?
Within each category we rank by audience size (75% of the score) and recent activity (25%). From Winter 2027 a growth measure joins the score, so creators who are rising move up.
Why does the Fall 2026 edition have no growth score?
Growth needs an earlier snapshot to compare against. Fall 2026 is the first edition, so it ranks on size and activity, and its data becomes the starting point for Winter 2027.
What are the three levels?
Ranks 1 to 100 make the Media List 100, ranks 101 to 500 the Media List 500, and ranks 501 to 5,000 the Media List 5000.
Do honorees pay anything?
No. Being named and showing the badge are free. Nobody can buy a place on a list.
Does a ranking ever change after it is published?
No. Each edition is fixed once it is published, so a badge always shows the result it was given. Corrections for factual errors are the only exception.
How do I fix a mistake or get removed?
Use the removal form linked from any honoree page. Removal takes down the page and the badge.