This post is by Raschanda Hall, Business Wire’s Manager, Global Media Relations, who is attending the Chicago Auto Show this week.

As the second day of the Chicago Auto Show started, short lines formed at the Subaru “Share the Love” breakfast. Journalists traveled thousands of miles for the biggest consumer auto show in North America.

“There is no other place to find more people to see, talk, share ideas or network work with. It’s just a great place for information,” said George Peterson, president of Auto Pacific, who has been coming to the Chicago Auto Show off and on for about 20 years.

For two days journalists swoop down on McCormick Place, just off Chicago’s historic Lake Shore Drive, with cameras, notepads and laptops in hand. They fill their show bags with press kits and giveaways and sit through countless press conferences. “I come to get the companies’ perspectives on themselves and their new products,” says Peter Saarniit of MacLaren McCann.

Journalists who come find there’s a lot of information to take away and they don’t want to miss anything. This is why many still take a few minutes to stop by the media room and pick up press kits. “I like them for cross referencing to make sure I didn’t miss anything at the booths,” Saarniit says. He doesn’t care whether they’re printed or electronic but the “print ones are easier to cross reference.”

Angela Harkless, editor and publisher of Cachet Magazine, says that since her audience is consumer focused and much more general, she is looking for “basic consumer information and really good photos.” Harkless has 10 years worth of media preview days behind her and she’s seen a lot of press kits and conferences. “It’s much better now because so many are digital and easier to file away.” She is able to use the press kits and information from the auto show to fill in her editorial calendar and come up with automotive stories ideas for her publication throughout the year.

Christopher Burdick founded Automoblog and he agreed that press kits are a must. “I always take them, but may or may not use them.” Burdick is drawn to the kits that are fun. He recalls one for the Dodge Challenger a few years ago. “It was very cool we took pictures of the kit and put them on the blog.” Automoblog is a husband and wife team, and Christine Burdick is the photographer. After two days she’ll go over nearly 800 photographs to find the right ones and even then a press kit might have something they missed: video. “We don’t shoot video now but hope to in the future,” Christine says. “If there is a really cool video on the kits we might put it up on the blog,” her husband shared.

I’ve been going to the Chicago Auto Show for at least five years now. I’ve seen the press kit section of the media room get smaller and smaller, but if you’re wondering whether they still serve a purpose, based on my conversations with attending journalists and time in the media room the answer is “Absolutely.”  There will always be those like George Peterson, who says, “I go to the media room to get hydrated,” but most others will grab a kit or two to go along with their cola.