Despite my less-than-enthusiastic opinion of media releases, I know a lot of restaurants still use them to get the word out about events, menu changes, staff additions, and more. We do things a little differently at RIA, but I’ll get back to that in a moment.

First, here’s a tip for all the release-lovers out there: If you insist on sending the darned thing, the chef or restaurant owner needs to be available when reporters then come calling. If they’re not, I assure you they’ll be on reporters’ “naughty list” faster than you can say, “I’m sorry, I can’t come to the phone right now …”

See, if there’s merit to media releases, it’s that good ones make reporters’ lives easier, not tougher. They provide all of the basic information — who, what, when, where, perhaps a touch of why and how — and a direct line to the important person in the story who can add a comment and fill in any blanks.

Problem is, most of the time the contact information on a media release is for a middleman or middlewoman, one step too far removed for a busy reporter.

That’s why we do things differently at RIA. We start by sending reporters what they ask for, rather than everything under the sun. And instead of wedging me or an intern in between the writer and chef, I step out of the way and connect the media directly to key sources.

It’s a small difference, but an important one that has landed us squarely on journalists’ “nice list.” Don’t believe me?

“Restaurant Intelligence Agency’s members [are] immediately accessible. In the magazine world, there is no bigger plus.” — Francine Maroukian, Esquire, Travel + Leisure, Marie Claire, Oprah, InStyle and Real Simple