Emmitt mentioned Advanced Media Network, which is actually what prompted me to come to the vgchartz at this moment. I just finished doing one of my daily checks on their Wii section and saw they were reporting on the NPD's latest BS move: keeping all but the software top 5 to their paid clients. They've started adding their own comments and thoughts to each news article recently, and the AMN editor mentioned that in other forums people were talking about using vgchartz to get their data from now on.
He didn't say anything negative or positive about vgchartz, but it is the only of the "other" sources he mentioned by name. There is definitely some awareness at AMN about vgchartz, and with the NPD's latest fit, now would be a good time to hit AMN up and see if they are game for an interview that's not a smear-job.
I'd also suggest NintendoWorldReport.com(formerly PlanetGameCube) and GamesAreFun.com. Both have been around for years, have a loyal fanbase, seem very level-headed, but aren't so big that they have "bigger fish to fry".
Although it wouldn't hurt to try someone like IGN, you should be aware that NPD does occasionally provide IGN with numbers outside the usual hardware and top 10-20 software. I don't know if that has changed since the latest news about the NPD cutback, but just keep that in mind should one of the NPD's chosen ones grant you an interview.
I wish I had a contact to help out, but the only guy with a site that I half-way knew was on the Nsider forums; since they have closed down I can't contact him directly. It's an Animal Crossing fansite(probably not what you are looking for), but it has been around a while.