In ten years, no one will read a hard copy newspaper. Broadcast television and radio will have been replaced by their streaming siblings. Search services and the context around them are more important that the content themselves. That is the very near future envisioned by Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer where all media is delivered via an internet connection.

We all know that the world of media has been turned upside down. But to paraphrase Balmer, "you ain't seen nothing yet." With an increasingly short cycle of news and social media influence it seems that the trends digitization and fragmentation will begin to spin even faster, like a figure skater drawing their arms in tighter for more rapid revolution.

While Balmer's musings do not represent a fundamental shift in the forward thinking represented on this blog, his mental time line shows a future that is surprising close and will require even faster evolutions and revolutions than we have seen in the past ten years.

All of us in the communications field lost a great role model today with the passing of Tim Russert, Washington Bureau Chief for NBC News and moderator of the popular Sunday morning "Meet the Press" news program.

Tonight's news coverage -- on NBC and competing networks alike -- paid tribute to Russert's unique abilities as a communicator. What made him so effective and trusted by those who watched and admired him?

Authenticity.

It's something we talk about frequently in public relations as the "secret sauce", but few capture it as well as Russert did in his 58 years.

He often spoke of the importance of communicating simply, directly and in an unassuming way so that all could easily understand the complex political issues of the day. Do you remember Tim's famous low-tech dry erase board in the Bush vs. Gore 2000 presidential election? Florida. Florida. Florida. (This board now resides in the Smithsonian.)

And when Russert proclaimed Obama as the presumptive Democratic nominee for this election, America listened.

His passion for politics was contagious. My wife often asked why I was so drawn to a political news program on Sunday mornings. Russert made news approachable, interesting, and human.

Pundits on both sides of the political aisle have come out in droves tonight to talk about his fair dealings, objectivity, and passion for the topics he covered. And above all else, they talked about his authenticity as a communicator and a man.

What a legacy. Communicators for generations to come will surely study Russert in the hopes to emulate him and his success as one of the most effective communicators of our day.