A freebie tip is, yes, definitely target the smaller and niche pubs; don't spam Wired. The more helpful you can be, the more influence you have, and honestly, you're just not that helpful for Kevin Poulsen or Chris Anderson.
A press hit anywhere conveys an irrational credibility; think about it, it's not most people's job to parse which pubs have a reputation for editorial integrity. That's why the "Top 10 Pick" awards from places like SC Magazine (in my field) work so well. So, if "bang for the buck" is the goal, you'll get 80% of the value of a press hit by sniping at the small fish.
The obvious point to make about "the long game" in PR is that reporters and editors have ambitions too, and some of the smartest people in the trade are writing for the small fish; they'll be editors at Computerworld tomorrow.
A press hit anywhere conveys an irrational credibility; think about it, it's not most people's job to parse which pubs have a reputation for editorial integrity. That's why the "Top 10 Pick" awards from places like SC Magazine (in my field) work so well. So, if "bang for the buck" is the goal, you'll get 80% of the value of a press hit by sniping at the small fish.
The obvious point to make about "the long game" in PR is that reporters and editors have ambitions too, and some of the smartest people in the trade are writing for the small fish; they'll be editors at Computerworld tomorrow.