The major advertising holding companies are responding by buying interactive agencies and putting them together with their traditional creative and ad placement organizations. In some instances, the online folks are even calling the shots.

But it's not enough. The opportunity to turn the most powerful medium -- television -- into an interactive, targeted direct marketing vehicle while retaining the traditional benefits of interruptive video is enormous. The effectiveness of traditional television without the wasted eyeballs is a revolutionary concept. 

The backroom issues cannot be ignored. It cannot be left solely to trade associations to figure out, and they are not equipped to solve the heavy EDI and technical standards issues. These issues need to be addressed immediately by working groups made up of a collection of traditional agency, interactive and media people. Their sole purpose should be to clear the decks and get ready to make all this creating, buying and distributing happen efficiently.