Why interactivity and mass media don't get along

I just read a very interesting article in Wired magazine with the catchy title, "Why Oprah Will Never Talk to You. Ever." In the article, Clay Shirky defines fame (which is the life-blood of mass media) as, "an extreme imbalance between inbound and outbound attention." That definition is nearly perfect in its simplicity and its ability to capture the tension created by attempts to turn a mass medium (e.g., TV) into an interactive medium. TV creates stars, but don't even think about trying to interact with them. Interactivity, at least the human kind, is a limited resource that is dispensed grudgingly. However, programmed interactivity, the kind that we find in computer video games, is another story. Perhaps the allure of online RPGs (Role Playing Games) is that they combine the best of both worlds...programmed interactivity combined with a serving of human interaction with the other players.