This doesn't exactly mean "goodbye, commercials" as much as "hello, targeted messages."

The one-step flow shatters this dynamic by eliminating the traditional groups that provided cues, bringing in social isolation, communication channel fragmentation, and targeted messages via new technology.

Corporate and political organizations can now target messages specifically to hundreds of niche groups.

Email marketing allows you to create more targeted and personalised messages - helping you to build more meaningful relationships with your customers while improving response rates to your direct marketing campaigns.

Targeted messages have proven effective, which is why companies like Nike use them to sell shoes to us or Coca-Cola uses them to sell drinks to us.

Usually, though, the government can only target phones and e-mail messages in the United States by first obtaining a court order from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which holds its closed sessions at the Justice Department.

A high proportion of those "targeted" messages would be very personal indeed.

In May 2003 the Department had hired the Ketchum public relations firm; the contract specified, among other things, that the firm create "audio products, videos and some print materials that present clear, coherent, targeted messages regarding ED's programs and that relate to the Department's legislative initiatives".

Internet giant CMGI announced it was spending $523 million to acquire yesmail.com , which delivers targeted promotional messages to people's e-mail boxes.