National Restaurant Association, Food News Media Launch News Podcast Series on Industry Hot Topics

                                                                                                                                     

National Restaurant Association, Food News Media Launch News Podcast Series on Industry Hot Topics

(Chicago) The National Restaurant Association and Food News Media – publisher of QSR magazine and Restaurant Management – are collaborating on a news podcast series addressing key industry issues, with the first episode launching today at NRA Show 2011. This first podcast features Chris Moyer, manager of the Association’s Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability initiative, discussing “going greener” and the new Conserve Education and Recognition Program. The podcasts will be available for free online and through iTunes.

Listen to the podcast.

“These podcasts will provide restaurant and hospitality industry professionals ‘news they can use’ while on-the-go,” said James Balda, chief marketing and communications officer of the National Restaurant Association. “By partnering with Food News Media, we are leveraging their experience in news production with our expertise and insights for newscasts that are both informative and entertaining. It is our goal to not only provide updates on issues, but also give operators tips to improve their businesses.”

“We’re really trying to inform readers with this new podcast series,” said Blair Chancey, editorial director of Food News Media. “We’re trying to leverage all of the industry expertise that we have available. But most of all, the podcasts allow decision makers to continue to get their news even when they’re on the go and not at their desks. This represents the new kind of journalism consumers want. It’s versatile and most of all platform neutral.”

The news podcast collaboration includes six episodes to be produced monthly, and will tackle key industry issues including jobs and careers, food safety, nutrition and public policy.

The Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability initiative offers free tips, tools and resources for restaurant operators looking to “go greener.” The initiative will anchor the Conserve Solutions Center at the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show (May 21-24 at Chicago’s McCormick Place). The Association’s new Conserve Education and Recognition Program is a national program to educate foodservice operators on sustainability issues and practices, and share successes with guests.

The annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show is the largest and most comprehensive global gathering of restaurant, foodservice and lodging professionals. The event attracts tens of thousands of attendees and visitors from all 50 states and 100+ countries, and showcases more products, services, innovative ideas and other growth opportunities than any other industry event.

Food News Media is a multi-platform (digital, print, experiential) B2B media company that provides award-winning content to the senior executives, chefs, purchasing agents, franchisees, and independent restaurateurs who drive the U.S. foodservice industry. Its portfolio of brands includes: FOLIO winner QSR; top-ranked foodservice news site QSRmagazine.com; the OneSource product and data guide; the annual Restaurant Franchising and C-Store Foodservice magazines; and executive leadership conference Dine America.  It is an operating unit of Journalistic, Inc.

To download the first National Restaurant Association-Food News Media podcast episode or to listen online, visit the QSR, Restaurant Management or Association website.

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Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 960,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of nearly 13 million employees. Together with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to lead America’s restaurant industry into a new era of prosperity, prominence, and participation, enhancing the quality of life for all we serve. For more information, visit our Web site at www.restaurant.org.

View this news release online: http://www.restaurant.org/pressroom/pressrelease/?ID=2111