Minimizing capital expense for HD transition may prove more costly in the long run, says Larry Thaler

Larry Thaler, president of Positive Flux, a consulting firm specializing in helping media companies plan and execute strategic projects and transform their operations, says some television stations — particularly those in smaller markets — may be missing an important opportunity as they make their transition to local HD.

Rather than focusing on the big picture and using the transition as an opportunity to implement more efficient file-based workflows, many are looking to minimize the expense of the HD transition and in the process failing to leverage file-based efficiencies that will improve their operation's bottom line in the long run.

Thaler's company recently conducted a major study of local television stations to gauge where broadcasters are in their transition to local HD as well as their desire to realize greater efficiencies by adopting IT-centric workflows.

In this week's podcast interview with Thaler, he discusses his findings and previews his luncheon keynote message to be delivered Oct. 18 in Chicago at the Broadcast Engineering Live one-day training event on IT-based television workflow.