The landscape for PR is rapidly changing; some say it's the golden age of PR. More experienced professionals recall the bubble burst of 2000/2001 and proceed with caution. Often, my colleagues and clients ask me for my opinion on today's changing landscape and so I share it with you.

It smells like 1999, it looks like 1999, it feels like 1999, so is it 1999 and will the bubble be bursting around the corner much like it did then? My answer is no. Will there be some fall out? Sure. There will be a few iwon's out there and there will also be google's. No, there's no formula to know which is which. If you're a techie like me, you have experience and a decade or so of CES exhibitions under your belt to act as an organic barometer; to the rest of you, good luck. We're mostly on even ground.

The difference today for online and mobile components are the same differentials that spelled success in the broadcast industry back in the day - widely available cable. In this case, widely available broadband and wireless. Making cellular handsets now ubiquitous and high speed internet connections available in far reaching regions for a reasonable audience bring with it large audiences.

If we bring it, they will come.

In the 1990's when web 1.0 components and services launched, the audience was limited and inconsistent. Even the niche who had home PC's or work PC's with good connections, couldn't be relyed upon to be a consistent audience. They would turn off the computer and go to traditional media as a resource. That's no longer the case. Factor in the lack of credibility traditional media has provided in the last few years (arguably, because overwhelmed reporters were using an old model and unfairly competing against the new, real time online model), and it's easy to see why many individuals turn to the 24/7, secure "live" web for news, searches and purchases.

Today, masses have access to the technology. Prices make it accessible to many economic levels. Second generations and mobile units make it convenient AND affordable. Consumers are here, unlike 1999, when it was still too hard to connect and the playing field had too few players.

So yes, gas prices and oil are causing consumers pain. The deficeit is skyrocketing and whispers of new inflation rates whirl around us. All of this accounted for, I still think emerging media will grow and prosper, and more than ever PR is a critical approach via emerging media to connect directly with consumers and engage in a dialogue. People are going to want to connect with other people and be entertained when stuck in their houses because they won't fill their tanks for car trips.

And they're going to stick with the Brands who dust off the corporate speak and show that they are part of this lifestyle, whatever that may be, and not an irrelevant old guard.