Like many people in the communications field, I'm a news junky. I'll take information wherever and whenever I can get it. Cable networks, a few printed newspapers, talk radio, select magazines, and Web-based sources are all part of my daily intake.

The Internet is easily the most important single source in my mix today -- and I'm not alone. In a previous post I referenced a recent survey indicating half of Americans now view the Web as the can't-live-without information channel. And while we still have much to learn, communicators have made big strides in the past few years adapting to changing modes of news gathering and improving our storytelling techniques online.

As we continue focusing energy and resources on Web-based channels, it's important not to miss the next opportunity. There's another revolution underway that's likely to stir up the marketing mix all over again: the move to wireless devices for news.

So far, getting answers on a mobile device has been clumsy, at best. Text-driven pages, slow load times and limited news content. But things are changing, fast.

First, the gadgets are improving significantly. Apple's iPhone, for example, has the processing power, user interface, and connectivity for a news gathering experience that rivals PC use. The device already holds a 71 percent marketshare for US mobile browser use, besting mobile Web offerings from Microsoft and Palm that have been around much longer. Clearly, there's an appetite for information seeking on mobile platforms and some of the hungriest news seekers are flocking to drastically improved devices which enrich the experience.

Second, mobile software and content is more readily available, with major media companies creating better offerings for wireless devices.

Today at CTIA (a wireless industry convention), Yahoo! unveiled a slick new application for wireless platforms called "OneSearch" allowing you to verbally submit any search query through a Blackberry (or other supported smartphone) and get nearly instant results pushed directly to your wireless handset. (Disclosure: Yahoo! is a GH client)

I asked, "What's the Chicago Cubs score?" and Yahoo instantly served up the dismal news of another loss on my BB Curve.

Advances like this will make consumers think twice about powering up a PC for news gathering at home or on the go. Increasingly, eyeballs will move from computer screens to wireless devices for basic news and communication.

Time for PR to expand its focus again. The battle for for wireless consumers is heating up and practitioners who become conversant in mobile content delivery will become increasingly valued in the future.