Successful prime-time television of any genre produces some kind of emotional reaction in the viewers. There are a lot of different emotions to tap into. The emotion of the reward of discovery the feeling of righteous anger the feelings of pathos and sadness or sentimentality of being moved by something.
The personal contact is a personal thing. The fact that some people don't know their neighbors I don't think that technology is at fault. You don't lose anything with technology. You gain other avenues of understanding.
