How about ways to avoid getting taken by mechanics and insurance companies after an accident. Historians, lawyers, detectives, and political scientists get in the media several times each year by giving informed tips relating to an event or scandal in the news. You may even be able to provide a local angle for a national story. I have found the best way to get covered by newspapers is to first find the reporter who handles stories like yours. Read through the paper's web site.
Many papers give reporters wide leeway in what stories they cover.
Get to the juicy, memorable part first. This same strategy works well for getting covered in magazines, industry journals, and on major web sites. Use search engines to find articles on topics that match your business. Look up the article, find the author's email address, and suggest another related story that, of course, includes your business or expert information. This often works surprisingly well to generate PR for you.