Kids Media Club Podcast

In this episode, we dive deep into Roblox as a game-changing platform for brand engagement and immersive content creation. Our guest, Nate Spell, CEO of Barrier4, reveals how his team evolved from producing trailers to building interactive experiences for top brands like Netflix and Nickelodeon—all within the Roblox ecosystem.We explore how brands are moving beyond traditional ads, using gameplay as storytelling and Roblox as a long-term engagement strategy. From licensing opportunities to community-driven development, this episode unpacks the new frontier of digital marketing and interactive media.Key Takeaways:Roblox is transforming digital marketing—shifting from a novelty to a core strategy for audience engagement.Barrier4's journey: From a niche magazine to a major Roblox content studio serving global brands.Gameplay meets brand storytelling: Why integrated, interactive narratives drive deeper user connections.Roblox as a platform for IP growth: Opportunities for both emerging and established franchises.Community-first strategies: Why successful brands treat Roblox as a living ecosystem, not just a campaign.Licensing potential: Explore how brands can tap into and collaborate with Roblox’s vast creator community.

As the media industry transforms at lightning speed, how do iconic events like MIPCOM and MIPJunior stay ahead of the curve?In this episode, we sit down with Lucy Smith (Entertainment Division Director, RX France; Director of MIPCOM) and Carole Ollardissen (Content & Conference Manager, MIPCOM & MIPJunior) for an insider look at how the world’s leading entertainment markets are evolving to meet the demands of a shifting industry — from the rise of streaming to the explosion of the creator economy.Together, Lucy and Carole discuss the strategic changes coming to MIPJunior 2025, its deeper integration with MIPCOM, and how both events are designed to fuel connection, innovation, and opportunity in an increasingly competitive and global content space.🔍 In this episode:Lucy’s 20-year journey through media transformation — from the DVD era to the streaming ageWhy MIPCOM and MIPJunior are more relevant than ever in 2025How the events are tackling the biggest challenges in kids and family contentMajor format changes at MIPJunior 2025, including:Physical integration with MIPCOM (no longer separate venues)Smarter, dedicated matchmaking toolsStronger alignment with broader MIPCOM initiativesNew YouTube partnership and a focus on the creator economyWhy MIPJunior is no longer just the “room where it happens” — it’s a collaborative launchpad for the future of kids contentWhether you’re developing IP, distributing content, building partnerships, or navigating the digital-first world of kids media, this episode offers an essential preview of what to expect at MIPCOM 2025 — and why it remains the beating heart of global entertainment deal-making.

In this week's Kids Media Club Podcast, Andy is away so Jo and Emily are indulging their inner-geek and doing a deep dive into THE kids phenomenon K-Pop Demon Hunters. They unpick the strategies behind the birth of a new mega kids franchise, check out the fan created content on Roblox and Youtube, and learn about the science and craft behind the chart topping songs. K-Pop Demon Hunters really is THE hit movie that has taken everyone by surprise. When even tennis champion Novak Djokovic is doing the soda pop dance at the US Open for his daughter, you know this is one of those cultural explosions that happen very rarely.

This week’s hosts’ hangout at the Kids Media Club HQ is all about discussing K-Pop Demon Hunters’ record-breaking success (yay!). They also talk about the ongoing challenges facing kids’ media (boo!) and, in particular, try to tackle the thorny issue of COPPA regulations. Could they be amended to help the industry monetise kids’ content on YouTube more successfully or is it working as it was intended?

In this episode, we respond to the UK government’s industry survey on children’s content, programming, and social media.We talk about the aims of the survey, share our honest thoughts on what’s working, what’s not, and what the future of kids' media could look like. From funding challenges to the impact of social platforms, we unpack it all.🎧 Tune in for a real-time industry check-in from three people who care deeply about children’s content.#KidsMedia #ChildrensTV #GovernmentSurvey #KidsProgramming #DigitalKids #KidsMediaClub

In this episode of the Kids Media Club podcast, we sit down with renowned children's TV writer and producer Mellie Buse. Known for her work as head writer on Charlie and Lola, co-creating Grandpa in My Pocket, and writing/producing The Hoobs for The Jim Henson Company, Mellie shares her journey through the world of kids’ television.We dive into the evolution of children’s media, discussing the shift from traditional TV to platforms like YouTube, the opportunities this brought for IP creators, and the challenges that followed due to COPPA regulations and monetization changes.Whether you're a content creator, producer, or fan of children’s programming, this episode is packed with insights into the creative and business sides of kids’ media. Tune in now! #KidsMedia#ChildrensTV#KidsContent#TVProduction#Screenwriting#MediaForKids#ContentCreation#CreativeIndustry#KidsEntertainment

Kids Media Club is thrilled to team up with Brands in Play for an exciting new episode! We chatted with Nic Hill and Albane Prioux, hosts of the Brands In Play podcast, to explore the wild and deeply weird world of Italian Brain Rot. This chaotic blend of ironic meme culture and generative AI is making waves as the latest UGC trend. Is it just the sloppiest of AI slop yet, or does this anarchic phenomenon have the potential to evolve into a massive, open-sourced IP? Meme Chaos or IP Gold?Tune in to find out!

In this week's episode of the Kids Media Club Podcast, we sat down with Nic Cabana and Andrew Pelekis, the folks behind Claynosaurz. We talk about how they leveraged fan-power to build their a monster sized IP. We dive into how they flipped the animated brand playbook on its head by starting with collectables and building to series and discuss their mission to build a community of superfans. If you're interested in the future of brand building this is a must listen.

Hosts Hang Outs are a bit like buses, there aren't any for months and then two come along one week after another! Yes, that's right, we enjoyed our hosts' natter so much we decided to do another one straight away. Here's what we chat about in this episode of the Kids Media Club:Emily has just seen Rachel Zegler as Evita in the West End - we get her thoughts on the show and discuss the buzz around Zegler's performance. After the Snow White fiasco is this her emancipation? The British Media regulator Ofcom has published their advice to public service broadcasters on YouTube and other social video platforms - we discuss whether broadcasters need to be all in on YouTube or follow a more nuanced strategy. Finally we talk about kids media brand extensions from Pokémon teaming up with Aardman to Bluey targeting grown-ups.

Back to one of our favourite formats - the Hosts Hang Out! Yes, we do love the sound of our own voices! :-) In this episode, we cut loose and dive into what's happening in children's media. No guests, just the hosts putting the world to rights. And there's a lot to put right! We chew over the sensational success of the 'K-pop Demon Hunters' animated movie on Netflix and the rise if Ms Rachel, explore the implications of Sky Kids' announcement that they will end original content commissioning, and compare the MAD marketing Fest in London with CMC conference in Sheffield. Here are the topics we discuss: The success of "K-pop Demon Hunters" on Netflix Sky Kids' decision to end original content commissioning and the Implications for the industryInsights on "Ms Rachel" on Netflix Comparison of the MAD Marketing Festival in London and CMC in Sheffield Feel free to share your thoughts on this episode and suggest topics you'd like us to explore in future shows!

We're out of the office this week, either on holiday or at Children's Media Conference in Sheffield, so we thought we'd take this opportunity to dive into the archive and revisit this conversation with the OG nursery rhyme preschool band - The Wiggles. Normal service will be resumed next week, in the meantime enjoy this episode - it's a cracker!

In this latest Precise TV sponsored episode of the Kids Media Club Podcast, we spoke with Gregory Dray, co-founder of Animaj, about his mission to create the next big digital-first children's media brand. We discuss:Greg's background at YouTubeHow Animaj are using AI to manage production in a way that empowers creatives rather than replaces themThe challenges of raising investment at a time when the kids media business is considered broken.Why the industry is so stuck and Animaj's plans to fix it. At a time when people can often despair about the challenges the industry is facing, Greg’s positive, practical, and innovative approach to kids’ content is truly refreshing.

For this episode, we have opened the archives and returned to a great discussion we had with Kevin Parry, stop-motion animation, visual magician, and FX wizard. Kevin has built a huge following on all the major social media platforms from LinkedIn to Youtube. He regularly gets viewing numbers networks would envy! In this episode, Kevin chats about making stop-motion animation go viral, the power of behind the scenes content, and why he likes to think of his audience as a 'network' of collaborators rather than 'followers' and 'subscribers'. Connect with Kevinhttps://kevinparry.tv/Instagram: @kevinbparryTikTok: @kevinbparryYouTube: @kevinbparry

Join us for an exclusive dive into the world of CBeebies, featuring special guests Kate Morton, Senior Head of Commissioning, and Joe McCulloch, Executive Producer. We’ll explore how CBeebies commissions its shows, discuss its YouTube strategy, and delve into its approach to building communities. Kate and Joe also introduce CBeebies’ new Parenting brand extension, revealing how it supports families with valuable tips, resources, and engaging ways to learn and grow together.

As part of our current series diving into the world of YouTube content creation, we’re dusting off an old episode from the Kids Media Club Podcast archives! In this episode we chat with Christian Hughes, the creative mind behind Gecko's Garage, to uncover what it takes to build a successful kids’ YouTube show. This conversation explores Christian’s YouTube journey, the strategies and challenges that shaped Gecko's Garage, and the breakthroughs that led to its success. In this episode, we cover:How Christian kickstarted his YouTube channelWhat he’d do differently if starting from scratchWhy data is a game-changer in content creationHis experience partnering with Moonbug

In this exciting episode, recorded live in partnership with Precise TV, we sit down with Jasmine Dawson from BBC Studios to dive into the digital phenomenon of the kids IP, Bluey. We explore the early days of fandom growth post-launch and how it snowballed into the massive wave of viewers for Season 3! Jasmine shares her team’s innovative approach to Bluey’s YouTube presence, embracing a native creator mindset from day one - a brilliant strategy that’s paid off in spades. Listen in for an insightful chat about building a juggernaut in kids’ media!

From rhymes to riches? Nursery rhymes have become one of the biggest genres on YouTube, captivating young children and their parents while spawning major entertainment franchises. In this episode, we sit down with Liz Gonzalez, an expert in children's digital content, to explore how nursery rhyme videos became such a massive phenomenon. We'll discuss the unique challenges of creating production pipelines for this type of content, and address the frequent criticism about whether this type of content represents quality output. Whether you're a producer, content creator, or just curious about the business of kids' media, this conversation offers fascinating insights into one of YouTube's most successful - and sometimes controversial - genres.

In this week’s episode of the Kids Media Club Podcast, Jo, Emily, and Andy are joined by Tom Box, Co-Founder of Blue Zoo animation studio. Tom discusses Blue Zoo’s AI policy, which aims to ethically integrate AI into their workflow. AI in animation is a contentious topic, sparking heated and polarising debate. The hosts even imagined hordes of angry animators, pitch forks in hands, marching up to their podcast studio at the merest mention of the word. Incorporating AI successfully into a company’s production pipeline while finding common ground among artists takes a delicate and careful touch, akin to a bomb-disposal expert deciding which wire to cut to stop everything blowing up. Tom has thought long and hard about the best way to approach this topic and it was a wonderful opportunity to discuss the issues and concerns swirling around AI in animation.What do you think about AI in animation? Have Blue Zoo struck the right balance? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think.

In this special episode of the Kids Media Club Podcast, sponsored by Precise TV, we’re joined by Denis Crushell, Chief Commercial Officer of Precise TV to dive into their PARK report on YouTube viewing habits among UK kids and families. Hosts Andy, Emily, and Jo unpack key insights, including YouTube’s dominance as the #1 platform for kids and the influence children have on household purchasing decisions. Plus, don’t miss an exciting announcement about an upcoming live event you won’t want to miss! https://www.precise.tv/kidsmediaclubhttps://www.precise.tv/

The arrival of a new baby takes a lot of planning and that's as true for the Peppa Pig family as any other! In this week's Kids Media Club podcast, Jo, Emily, and Andy are joined by Esra Cafer, SVP Global Brand Strategy at Hasbro, to discuss the new addition to the Peppa Pig family and just what's involved from a brand management and strategy perspective.