They initially approached me and I pitched an idea I thought they'd reject out of hand (an op-ed about tracking on the page you're reading). I thought they wouldn't get back to me after that, but they did, and they were wonderful to work with.

Otherwise, I don't think process has changed, it's mainly about personal contacts, being accessible, and taking the time to talk to people and explain the tech in a way the target audience understands. My rule is if a journalist doesn't understand my research it's because I'm not explaining it the right way. I get annoyed when academics complain journalists get their work wrong without making an effort to actually talk to any.