There were several reports in the May 17 issue of Time that had intriguing PR and communications angles.

One of the best wasn’t the cover article on BP’s disaster in the Gulf. It was actually the shorter article about Conan O’Brien in which the sub-head said it all: “In the niche-media era, it’s not just the size of your audience – it’s how intensely they care.”

To me, Conan’s communications approach provides a perfect case study of how a nimble competitor who understands today’s media landscape can out-battle slower-moving Goliaths who are still trying to appeal to a mass audience. As the article states:

“The way O’Brien’s path is diverging from Leno’s raises the question: What does it mean to be a media star today? Is it about household viewers or Twitter followers? Breadth or depth? Mass appeal or cult appeal? (TV ad money is focused on under-50 demographics, so the right cult audience can outsize influence.) Conan and TBS are betting it is better to have a smaller group of fans who care intensely about what you do than a bigger number who care just enough to not change the channel. It doesn’t apply only to comedians. More people watch Brian Williams every night than Glenn Beck; that doesn’t make Williams more influential.” 

The same concept applies to both B2C and B2B PR and communications. With the rise of blogs, social media, YouTube, podcasts, Web seminars and other channels, we have more tools than ever to target our exact audience and forge strong relationships with them.

Those who do will build a loyal following, while those who are still measuring success via broad audience numbers probably spend way too much only to get left behind.

You rock, Coco!