In this episode of In The Vicinity, local media veterans Tim Hanlon and Jim Wilson explore why the digital transition has proven so difficult—and what it will take for broadcasters to evolve from traditional stations into true multi-platform local media companies.

Video podcasts will not reverse cord-cutting or restore the economics of peak syndication. But they may represent a pragmatic bridge between legacy linear TV and the conversational, multiplatform media environment that now defines viewer behavior.

It's clear what Netflix might want to do with something like N-Plus... but does anyone need it?