Whatever happened to the service economy and the Age of Customer Service? It has occurred to me that the Internet and the steady advance of technology have diminished, rather than improved, those core attributes that can truly distinguish a company from its competition. Al Golin, in his book Trust or Consequences, has said the danger of high technology is that it causes us to forget "high touch," or the personalization of service.

I'll use a high-end appliance manufacturer headquartered in the South as an example. We called to report that our refrigerator was overheating because of a faulty light switch. Five months later, this expensive built-in device remained broken and without lights because our appliance maker, incredibly enough, had no replacement switch to remedy the problem - on what it characterized as a "lifetime" appliance. When I called the company's customer service department to complain about the long delay, they couldn't find any prior record of our contact on this problem and said their computer records could not cross-reference or search in ways that are standard today in all companies. The woman who took my call was congenial and most embarrassed. So was I - for this appliance maker.

We are being reduced to numbers - with our genetic coding, blood type, health, financial records, credit history, employment records, personal habits, birth record, Internet viewing habits, purchasing preferences and so much more being collected, catalogued and archived in preparation for a digitial chip or device that some will carry with them in the future. Yet with all this information now readily available and "Googlized," we have failed to advance the art of serving those who matter most - you and I as customers. There is scant follow-up to customer complaints, problems are difficult to resolve, and no one, save the customer, seems concerned if communication is delayed or incomplete.

This "de-personalization" of the great brands we've known will ultimately be the undoing of companies as consumers, whose ranks increasingly are swelling with a new generation of men and women more discriminating in their choice and loyalty, turn from merchants who are indifferent and undifferentiated in their customer service ethic.

What is the answer? The answer comes in the form of a question I heard from a brand manager with a global credit card company: "How do we get our telemarketing people to better live the values of our brand?" In today's world, those companies that create alignment among their front-line managers and employees with their business strategies and customer service ethic, will win greater allegiance among their customers and prospects.

We are entering a new era for what those of us who lead employee communications know as internal branding. In sum, internal branding is the process of aligning and mobilizing employees to deliver on the promise of what a brand represents externally. Internal branding was first popularized five years ago, dimmed in relevance and now has returned as a new generation of leaders and managers realize that "high touch" can only happen through the men and women who truly live the brand.

In public relations, we've traditionally focused our time and talents on talking: delivering messages through traditional media channels and by direct means.

Talking has been a key component of our craft for centuries.

But in the future, it’s clear PR practitioners must continue sharpening another skill set: the ability to listen.

I don't for a minute suggest that communications pros aren't good listeners. On the contrary, the communications function largely serves as the listening post for most organizations. Most of us pay close attention to what's being said about our companies and the clients we represent in the press and mainstream channels.

I’m simply suggesting that, in the next 50 years, we'll need to listen not only to those with the loudest voices and those with the largest followings… but we'll also need to improve the way we listen to individuals. We must become more active facilitators of dialogue.

The influence of the individual continues to grow. Want proof? Look no farther than consumer generated media such as blogs.

Just this week, David Sifry of CGM search engine Technorati issued an update on the current state of the blogosphere. And his findings clearly illustrate the growing importance of the individual's voice.

More than 50 million blogs now exist, and since 2002, the blogosphere has doubled in size every 6 months. 175,000 blogs are created every day (that's 2 new blogs each second).

And while the growth of new blog channels may eventually cool, studies suggest consumers are using their self-built communications tools to publish thoughts more frequently. The total volume of new blog posts continues to climb -- now to 1.6+ million new entries each day.

The clear implication for PR pros and the brands we represent is that the individual voice must be recognized, and relationships with unique customers and loyalists need to be cultivated more closely than every before.

Today, individuals expect and demand the companies they do business with to listen.

Earlier this year, a nine year old student in California wrote a letter to Apple Computer Chairman Steve Jobs with some recommendations for improving the company's venerable iPod.

Instead of an appreciative note back from Jobs or his staff, she received a letter from Apple's Law Department insisting that she not send "suggestions" to the company, telling her she can read the company's legal and privacy policies online if wanted to find out why.

Is this any way to build loyalty and relationships?

(Later, after local media picked up on this story, Apple reportedly changed its policies on responding to correspondence from consumers -- particularly children.)

As the cacophony of voices grows louder and louder, organizations need to pay close attention to what's being said, and look for opportunities to join and nourish the conversation.

Who knows – if we keep working at it, 50 years from now we might all be more skilled listeners. At least that's what my wife keeps hoping for.

I’m really delighted that the “human element” advertising and PR campaign for Dow Chemical is off to such a great start. I believe it is resonating with the public, as well as Dow’s internal audience because, in this time of so much technology surrounding all of us we crave the human element as a stabilizer. (Disclosure: Dow Chemical is a GH client)

I’ve often quoted author John Naisbitt, who was way ahead of his time when he wrote his book, “Megatrends” some years ago. He coined the terms “high touch” and “high tech.” This illustrated the need to balance all the technology he saw coming with the humanizing factor. Many organizations are becoming increasingly reliant on impersonal communication. We all know people who are much more willing to use e-mail or voicemail than to set up face-to-face meetings or even talk on the phone. This is part and parcel of the trend towards emotionless interactions that are starting to define business relationships.

Unless an organization makes a commitment to HUMANIZING relationships, the online culture will take over. Sophisticated technology is enticing, and it’s easy to forget what’s being sacrificed when a culture is overly dependent on this form of communication.

Lots of companies are talking about innovation and some are actually doing something about it.

In July, as reported in BusinessWeek, IBM hosted an Innovation Jam with 100,000 customers, consultants and employees. A couple of 72-hour, online brainstorming sessions focused on finding new technology ideas that the company could convert into business builders. All people had to do was log and add their thoughts to an endless stream of suggestions in the areas of transportation, health, the environment and commerce.

A month later, the most promising concepts will be posted on the site and everyone will be invited back to pick the best ones. CEO Sam Palmisano has promised to invest $100 million to develop the winners.

This is such a good idea that certainly other companies will copy it. Maybe they won’t have the sophisticated infrastructure to manage such a massive event, but the technology doesn’t really matter. The beauty of the program is that it actively engages employees in the company’s mission.

After all is said and done, even if IBM doesn’t have a single idea worth pursuing (I bet it will) the effort will be a success because it will have demonstrated to its workforce that it is serious about innovation and that everyone can participate.

In the future, the companies that are best able to harness the ideas and passion of their employees will be the ones that drive innovation. It is rarely senior management that develops the big ideas. Their job is to find foster an environment that allows others to. And with today’s technology that is easier than emptying a Suggestion Box.

I’m often asked if there is a single, simple, universal “litmus test” evaluation and measurement question that captures the most important thing (albeit not everything).

There is no silver bullet for our ADDriven, quick-fix fascination with 30 second management, instant insights, and snap solutions, but one question comes pretty darn close.

If you had to ask one and only one question that can be adapted to fit myriad situations, it would be:

“Would you recommend ____________________to family, friends, neighbors or co-workers, if they ask your candid and honest opinion?”

(e) Definitely Not

A nifty article from Business 2.0, courtesy of Fred (see link below), gives some of whys and wherefores. But the best thing to do is give it a shot yourself.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2005/09/01/8356514/index.htm

No... I'm not referring to personal beliefs. I'm talking about the need for communicators to become more media agnostic.

This week, Forrester Research released the results of a new survey in which the research group asked agencies and their clients how well they'd rate solutions marketing firms currently bring to the table.

The results leave some room for improvement. Only about one in five clients would recommend their lead agency's services to others. And three out of four said they had no good way to measure return on investment of the marketing activities executed by agency partners.

While the survey focused primarily on one category of marketing services firms, the implications apply to public relations, too.

First, we need to continue innovating and offer more creative solutions to our client partners across information sources. Not just traditional media initiatives. Not only social media strategies. Not just experiential initiatives like mobile marketing programs. But a smart, appropriate mix of media channels and tactics that resonate with our clients' key constituents.

In short, we need to become more media agnostic.

Second, we need to keep demonstrating value -- tied to business objectives -- for everything that we do. Firms which can quantify the impact of their work over time will always come out on top, and will remain trusted partners for clients who rely on them for strategic support and execution.

The necessary changes inside marketing services firms aren't coming as quickly as some would hope, but PR as a whole has fared slightly better than some other marketing disciplines. Many of us in the public relations world were, for example, early embracers of social media and its opportunities for stimulating dialogue and shaping opinions of influencers. Firms with a heritage of working primarily in paid media have had a harder time adapting to the shifting media landscape and slower to offer a wider variety of solutions. (There are, of course, exceptions to this.)

But there's still room for improvement within the public relations field. At GolinHarris, we've spent a lot of time examining changes in the way individuals consume information and have altered the structure of our teams to help adapt. For example, the GH Dialogue integrated media practice combines traditional media relations, digital and social media, and experiential marketing into a single cohesive, media agnostic group. We've broken down the traditional agency silos typically based on media channels, and are working collaboratively every day to ensure our account staffers can successfully navigate a complex media environment.

These changes aren't coming easily for the industry, as they require major cultural shifts in established organizations. And they won't happen overnight -- but we're making headway.

Most clients still come to PR firms first for media relations support, but that's changing quickly. More and more demand integrated media strategies that combine the best of mainstream, digital and experiential information sources. The latest Forrester survey results should serve as a wake up call to anyone who believes it's business as usual.

If clients don't get innovative solutions beyond mainstream media from their advertising or PR firms, they'll go elsewhere, taking traditional media work with them, too. And we'll have nobody to blame but ourselves.

I, for one, think public relations is up for the challenge and can take the lead role becoming our clients' most trusted integrated marketing counselors.

Mash-ups, a hybrid Web application that combines complimentary elements from two or more sources, are bringing together the best of both worlds and pushing for innovation. One such application is Unype that lays Internet-based phone Skype over Google Earth. Unype users can access Google earth, dial-up a friend over Skype and guide one another to desired locations while taking a look at places together and holding conversations.

Unype creators are already thinking ahead to higher-level versions. Going beyond the beta, they will be adding avatars to represent the parties going on virtual trips. The subsequent iteration will allow for multiple participants (think conference calls) and finally they will be able to drop in models onto places they see through Google Earth.

Adding avatars to a guided, visual conversation opens the floodgates to branding, experiential marketing and social networking. With construction models that avatars can view, walk through and change, we might finally be stepping out of Second Life and have more flexibility in organizing online events, demonstrations and collaborative spaces that has voice and animation. In the long run, this application has many uses for tourism, real estate and entertainment players who need to illustrate experiences to consumers. From a PR perspective, applications as such would open new venues to create events that reach people across borders, tap into their senses and solicit their feedback while bringing them closer to a brand, product or company.

Just as the PR industry is beginning to figure out how to integrate bloggers into campaigns for their clients, new channels are emerging that may have even more potential than blogs – online TV. Thanks to the growing popularity of YouTube and other video sites, 15.5% of US households are now watching internet video compared to 9.4% who are buying and downloading music files. Across all age groups, watching internet video is significantly more popular than reading blogs. And in the over-25 crowd, it beats social networking as the primary online activity other than email.

A number of companies are taking advantage of this trend by launching online television networks. The March 19th edition of BusinessWeek notes that N3, Next New Networks, launched six channels in March on subjects from “sewing to comics.” Founded by veterans of MTV and AOL, the network hopes to launch 100 “super-niche” web channels.

Further along in its development, Diggnation attracts hundreds of thousands of viewers along with 15 corporate sponsors who pay $10,000 per episode, according to Business 2.0. For 45 minutes, the two 30-something hosts discuss the latest tech gadgets, often plugging their favorite products.

Another ready-to-launch web service called Joost has compiled 2,000 hours of copyright-protected programming to appeal to young males with content including extreme sports and shark videos. Michael Eisner’s latest venture, Veoh also plans to offer a niche series like Fearless Cooking, Triathlete TV and Wine Library TV.

Given the low cost of entry, we can expect to see hundreds of net TV offerings popping up in the next couple of years – all geared to highly-targeted audiences who are passionate about a specific topic. Imagine the opportunity for PR people when there are thousands of new broadcast outlets where they can place a product or a spokesperson. Compared to network TV, the viewership will be small but the potential will be enormous.

Could this be the language included in a future casting call?

MTV might think so. The network that built a remarkable brand in the "traditional" media world continues its march to mash-up popular cable television content and characters with virtual worlds. MTV execs call it "4D".

Yesterday, MTV leaders presented their vision for the future at the Virtual Worlds 2007 conference in New York. It's a future of merged content between one-way and two-way channels. And they're off to a good start.

The Viacom-owned media group already operates its own company-created-and-maintained virtual social networks based on two television shows: Laguna Beach and The Hills. Another -- based on Pimp My Ride -- is coming soon.

In these 3-D worlds, avid audience members can stroll through virtual landscapes which roughly relate to the real world depicted in the show, interact with other fans, and even bump into favorite characters (or at least, their avatars) from each television program.

[Above -- Lauren Conrad from MTV's "The Hills" appears on the television show and in the network's virtual world.]

By creating its own virtual environment from scratch, MTV has complete control over the surroundings (though they encourage loads of limited customization and personalization of and by visitors). It's a stark contrast to the community-built, "open" Second Life colony, in which marketers are often shunned for overstepping their ground into user-created spaces with overt branding. With MTV's owned virtual worlds, visitors expect some level of brand interaction.

It's a marketer's dream. Latch on to a successful media property, then interweave your brand appropriately into the audience's interaction with the show. Pepsi, for example, is offering fun branded props that virtual world visitors can use -- logo-adorned hoverboards, virtual soft drinks, etc. It's a natural extension of product placement happening in traditional media for years. And it's working because companies aren't solely slapping their brandmark on walls -- they're adding value to the experience by giving you tools you can use, sponsoring in-world events, etc.

In fact, the presence of logos and marketing messages doesn't seem to be driving audiences away. According to CNET News, 64 percent of users come back regularly, users visit 1.4 times per week for an average of 37 minutes each time, and users have so far logged more than 72 million minutes in-world. Not a bad extension for short television programs and probably why other big marketers like P&G and Cingular (now AT&T) have also jumped into MTV's virtual worlds.

This is just the beginning. It's safe to say we'll see scores more social media and entertainment property mash ups in the future.

The big question remaining for PR pros: Does your résumé include virtual networking and publicity skills yet?

The political process is inherently social. From the legendary smoke-filled rooms of Washington to local town hall meetings where issues are discussed and candidates sized up, politicians have always relied on spurring word of mouth in social networks to get out the vote.

The Internet has played an increasing role in the political process in recent years, with significant fund raising taking place on the Web, and candidates taking their message directly to constituents through blogs and video (both official and accidental) on sharing sites like YouTube.

Now, reality TV heavyweight Mark Burnett ("Survivor" and Trump's "The Apprentice") is teaming up with one of the world's biggest online social networks -- MySpace -- for a new reality endeavor focused on the political process.

The new effort -- "Independent" -- is designed to help engage younger audiences typically less involved in the political process by allowing anyone to declare their candidacy for a political post. Individuals can throw their hat into the ring by submitting a short stump speech on MySpace Video, receiving nearly instant feedback from other MySpace users.

The online component will be linked up with a television program (network still TBD, but a fair chance FOX will pick it up) and viewers will determine the issues candidates should address via weekly voting. The winner of the competition scores $1 million for their campaign war chest.

While it's hard to imagine a MySpace-spawned candidate could break into the closed circles of politics in the US today, "Independent" is an interesting way to engage voters of the future and empower them to get involved in the political process.

One has to believe that Republican and Democratic strategists will keep a close eye on the process to learn what's working and what falls short in social campaigning online.

The latest social networking traffic and market share list from HitWise maps out the emerging media landscape:

- MySpace has the lion’s share of this market and continues to be a significant referrer to other social networking sites.
- Facebook holds its own in the second spot.
- The rest of the social networking space is pretty fragmented, with iMeem, Bebo and Hoverspot showing remarkable growth since January 2007.

Another factoid we need to take note of in Hitwise’s analysis is that ethnic community sites Black Planet and Mi Gente also make it to the top 20. They are not just offering story, video or music exchange. They are tapping into a common cultural thread among their members, without forgoing diversity of views and backgrounds.

It would be too simplistic and incorrect to say that a given ethnic community site would do well because its members share similar demographic characteristics. Thriving social networking sites allow members to find like-minded people within their sub-cultures, share and shape experiences. The leading ethnic community sites are standing proof of this basic concept.

When was the last time you gave your press site an overhaul? Does it contain mostly static images and releases? If so, it’s a safe bet your media and consumers are missing out.

Engagement is everything nowadays and press sites should be much more than a one-time resource for media and consumers. The public demands more.

Increasingly, companies are turning to PR for revolutionary ideas in this ever changing media landscape on how to engage the online consumer and more often than not, do so by leveraging existing online real-estate.

Enter the social media newsroom. General Motors (UK) just launched one.

GM’s newsroom makes it easy for anyone to spend more than a few minutes here, and with ingredients including Flickr, YouTube, RSS, tagging, social bookmarking and a blog roll, it’s hard to see why not.

Take a look at your press site. Does it currently include any of these elements? If not, perhaps consider implementing some of the following ideas:

- Identify “stale” areas of your press site that may no longer resonate with online media or the consumer and develop a short list of SEO-friendly online tools heavily used by your target media and consumer to rejuvenate those areas

- Conduct a media audit to determine what they’d find useful on the site

- Implement both short- and long-term ideas into a PR program plan

- Make sure to outreach to key media to let them know about any updates to the press site

- Follow competition and other companies with evolving social media newsrooms to identify trends and stay ahead

The social media newsroom is here to stay, so why not establish your press site as a front-runner in this category?

Steve Jobs knows how to throw a party.

No, not that Steve Jobs. This one.

We often talk about the value of word of mouth in public relations and the ways marketers can engage their most loyal customers to create excitement. And over the past decade, few brands have tapped the enthusiasm of its customers like Apple. But what's the company's secret sauce?

With typical pomp and circumstance, this past weekend Apple released the latest version of its OS X operating system -- Leopard. Reports indicate the company sold more than 2 million copies in three days, making OS 10.5 the most successful software launch in the brand's history. And at $129 per single user copy, that translates into better than a quarter of a billion dollars of cash.

So what's Apple doing right?

Last Friday, I got a glimpse of Apple's marketing magic firsthand. I ventured out early that evening to my local mall in hopes of grabbing my own copy of Leopard on the way home from the office. What I didn't know is what I'd encounter when I got there.

Nearly two hours later, I walked out with my copy and a better appreciation of what makes the Apple machine tick.

The atmosphere was a little bit like standing in queue for World Series tickets. Self-professed MacAddicts were lining up adorned in apparel from previous product launches. There were the iPhone t-shirts. The OS X Tiger (the last operating system) launch party gear. And I swear I spied one brandmark tattoo.

A young man standing in front of me -- an early adolescent no older than 13 -- sat indian-style on the ground with a Powerbook in his lap, continuously refreshing Apple.com's countdown ticker to Leopard's availability, while clutching a well-worn iPhone in his left hand. He was texting scores of friends and planning his own ad hoc launch party for later that evening when he planned to install the new software at home.

As the Apple Store staff worked the lines chatting up customers and handing out bottled water, they singled him out by name and expressed their gratitude that he was there.

It was clear this was the "connection" marketers dream about building with their customers.

Lots of things contribute to Apple's ongoing success, but here are three which helped Leopard get off to a running start this week:

*Keeping it simple. The new operating system is said to include more than 300+ new features and enhancements, but just 10 are touted heavily in publicity efforts, advertising and even product packaging. While innovation runs deep, Apple doesn't complicate things by promoting every single improvement.

As passers-by stopped to inquire about the growing line outside the Apple Store last Friday night, customers there found it easy to explain the excitement, and relate a few innovative features that made Leopard worth their wait.

A quick look at Apple's Web site illustrates the focused nature of the company's communication. Laundry lists of improvements are hard to find, while simple explanations of a few key technologies (complete with narrated demos) show practical benefits in consumer-speak.

Even the product itself is sold in a more streamlined way than its competition. While Microsoft offers its Vista OS in four different versions -- each with different features and price points-- Apple released a single consumer version of Leopard for all. This "streamlining" makes it much easier to absorb information and spread the word. (To see the contrast yourself, check out the Vista information page, turn away from the screen, and try to recount even a few basic features.)

*Recognizing and rewarding the most loyal. The first few dozen customers in line received commemorative Leopard T-shirts. And the full Apple Store staff welcomed them in, complete with pats on the back and words of thanks. Simple freebies like water bottles while you're waiting in line and interaction with store staff go a long way and show customers they're valued.

There's evidence Apple is now rewarding loyalists by embracing the "consumer generated" media of its fan base, snatching up "fanvertising" created on YouTube to become formal ads for its products.

*Creating personal connections. The Apple Store is a huge component in creating "personal" relationships with the brand. Its Genius Bars allow anybody with a question to come in and chat with an expert and get one-on-one attention. And in my experience, the folks staffing these desks aren't just technically-sound employees, they're brand fanatics, too. Their enthusiasm is contagious, and their customer service is, by most accounts, great.

The young man in line ahead of me was aglow when one of the Apple Store employees singled him out and took a few seconds to chat. That personal touch cannot be replaced by any other kind of communication or marketing. And it's something that will bring him back for the next launch of whatever-Steve-has-up-his-sleeve.

While this was quite a detour from my planned Friday activities, it was a great opportunity as a marketer to see brand building up close. And learn a few ways that Apple stays "connected" to its consumers.

According to the Associated Press, Barack Obama has raised $7.2 million for his presidential campaign over the two days following Super Tuesday! That is in addition to $32 million he raised in January. Most of this total is comprised of small donations from almost 700,000 individuals across the country, and 90% are through the web.

In 2004, Howard Dean pioneered the concept of using the internet to build grassroots support for his candidacy, but Barack Obama has perfected it.

It all starts with his website barackobama.com, a simple, elegant site that contains everything from instructions on setting up your own my.BarackObama networking website to a section on Kids for Obama that teaches children how to get involved with his campaign, including drawing a picture of Obama sitting in the White House. Highlighting the extent his campaign relies on the internet, the home page features a list of 18 social networks where fans can visit and interact with other Obama supporters including Facebook, Flickr and Eons.

If you sign up for the campaign’s mailing list, you receive short, almost daily emails from Barack and Michelle Obama with headlines like “Turn on your TV” when he was about to give his victory speech in Iowa or “Startling News” when Hillary Clinton announced she had loaned $5 million of her own money to her campaign. I doubt many people actually believe that the candidate is actually typing up emails at the last minute to send, but the connection and the immediacy are undeniable. Each email has a link to donate on BarackObama.com where you can make a donation of as little as $25, using a credit card.

Whether Barack Obama ends up being our next president or not, you can be sure candidates of the future will all be studying how his campaign used the internet to generate excitement and donations.

Anderson Cooper, beware. Seventeen-year old high school student James Brierton is about to give you a run for your money. And the folks paying your salary -- CNN -- are giving him all the tools he needs.

Today, CNN is planning to formally launch iReport.com -- a novel news portal featuring reports from everyday citizens who witness news first-hand. CNN's approach is laissez faire, providing only the platform for individuals to post, comment and rate news items from the public. It plans to exercise no editorial control, according to MediaWeek.

Mainstream media's efforts to blend "social media" with professionally reported news isn't particularly new. We've seen plenty of examples of blending news from citizen and established sources together in the past. What's unique about CNN's new iReport.com effort is that it's completely firewalled from the company's "core" news products.

(CNN's iReport Beta)

iReport blends a number of simple publishing tools and collaboration technologies into what appears to be a promising news product. Contributors who publish the most highly-regarded content (as rated by the community) most often receive the biggest accolade -- an "iReporter Superstar" designation. A quick look at early iReporter profiles unearths participants from Los Angeles to Des Moines to New York, mostly high school and college age.

James Brierton (known as "jbjimbo") is one such contributor. His brief bio on the site suggests he's a serial reporter, participating in his school newspaper, an online radio station, and more. James has shared more than a dozen stories with the world in his perspective via CNN's iReporter portal, ranging from political commentary, severe weather, local crime, to social issues.

While technology helps facilitate the growth of citizen journalists like James, it's not the primary reason they participate. Most contributors share because they have a point of view or a story to tell, and want to reach as broad of an audience as possible. Technology just makes it easier.

And technology isn't the reason why news seekers' appetites for first-person news grows, either. The reason citizen-penned content is becoming more attractive is authenticity. With the flurry of news choices at our fingertips, hungry news seekers increasingly want news without spin, direct from real people, in their own words. These unfiltered sources are now one of many key ways individuals consider different viewpoints and formulate their own opinions.

From a PR perspective, it's becoming more important for communications initiatives to help encourage or facilitate first-hand reporting. The more that practitioners can help create the environment for authentic buzz to grow through tools like iReport, the more they'll see authentic citizen reports about their companies and brands.

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.

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.