Reaching "key media" doesn't mean targeting only those publications with the highest circulation, but those wielding the most influence with industry movers and shakers. Focusing on these critical publications can be the answer to getting high visibility. The 1998 Delahaye Press Coverage Benchmark study found that for hundreds of companies in dozens of industries, ten publications surfaced most frequently on corporate, "top-gun" media lists.
The study examined nearly 61,000 news stories on more than 450 companies from more than 3,100 media outlets in 29 regions of the world. The following top publications were found to have the highest influence based on both circulation and the frequency with which they are targeted by corporate PR departments (In order of highest visibility to lowest):
- Wall Street Journal
- New York Times
- Los Angeles Times
- PC Week
- USA Today
- Nihon Keizai Shimbun
- InfoWorld
- PC Magazine
- Chicago Tribune
- PC World
- Washington Post