I was not aware of Profnet - according to Penelope Trunk in her recent post on How to get your blog (or yourself) mentioned in print - but I'm running into situations where it's important to notify MSM when you want some "offline" buzz.

According to Penelope:

"…Profnet costs a few hundred dollars, but it’s worth it if you really want offline publicity. Journalists go to this site to ask for specific information from a specific type of person. If you meet those criteria, you can send the journalist a pitch via email and if you really are a match, the journalist will contact you. Profnet is a key tool in most publicists’ toolboxes and it’s accessible to anyone (who can pay)."

I got this information from ProBlogger originally.  Darren Rowse also points out as a counter balance…

"…getting mentioned in the press is not everything. In fact the times I’ve been written about in major papers I’ve had very little noticeable increase in traffic and limited opportunities have arisen from it. In many cases it would be more beneficial for a large blog or website to link up than a paper to do it - still, it’s fun to see your name in print and it can legitimize what you do in the eyes of some (IE - parents love seeing their kids in the papers!)."