This episode brings Andy, Jo, and Emily back together after a busy fortnight that saw the Kids Media Club divide and conquer — Emily and Andy heading to KidScreen in San Diego while Jo hosted the Kids and Teens Summit at MIP London. Here's what they came away with.

The hierarchy is gone — and that's now official. Both events reflected something the podcast has been saying for a while: TV no longer sits at the top of the kids media food chain. YouTube, Roblox, and broadcast were all on equal footing — on the panels, and in the rooms. That shift from polite tolerance of digital platforms to genuine integration feels like a genuine turning point.

KidScreen got intentional about YouTube and Roblox. Rather than token sessions, this year's programming offered real depth — from 101-level introductions to developer showcases — signalling that the industry has accepted these platforms as core infrastructure for young audiences, not add-ons.

Jonathan Haidt's keynote caused friction. The Anxious Generation author's appearance divided the room, given that the very conference schedule celebrated platforms he believes are harmful to children. It made for an interesting tension — and a useful reminder that the debate around kids, screens, and wellbeing is far from settled.

Social media bans: well-intentioned, but complicated. The team unpacks the nuance that came out of both events and the Children's Media Foundation day. Outright bans may actually let platforms off the hook. The COPPA regulations are held up as a cautionary tale — well-intentioned legislation that may have done unintended damage to the kids content ecosystem, with YouTube monetisation for children's content reduced to around 30% of what it once was.

Kids media is facing a potential market failure. TV commissions for children's content were down 20% in 2025 — more than double the decline seen in other genres. Combined with reduced YouTube monetisation, the financial incentive to make content specifically for kids is shrinking. Some producers are already quietly dropping the word "kids" from how they describe themselves — something the team finds genuinely alarming.

Roblox is getting ahead of the crosshairs. Andrew Bareza from Twin Atlas (the studio behind Creatures of Sonaria and various Lego activations) addressed safety concerns directly and clearly at MIP London — walking through the toolsets Roblox is rolling out and demonstrating how brand-safe, purposeful activation on the platform is very much possible.

The BBC and YouTube partnership: a front door, not a full commitment. Jo hosted the BBC and YouTube in a fireside that got unexpectedly candid. The BBC's suite of seven YouTube channels won't simply mirror their broadcast output — the strategy is promos, tactical full episodes around new series launches, and some YouTube-first commissions (including a Next Step micro-drama). The goal is to use YouTube as a gateway to iPlayer, though whether a generation raised on YouTube will follow that path remains an open question.

The Sidemen are rewriting the rules on appointment viewing. Long-form content, licensed TV formats (a Family Fortunes rework pulled from Fremantle's archive got 3 million views in 24 hours), and a focus on watch time over view counts — the Sidemen's keynote at MIP London was a masterclass in how creators are evolving into something closer to TV studios, and why that matters for the future of format licensing.

Despite a lot of hard truths, both events left the team with a clear impression: the people still in the room are passionate, pragmatic, and not going anywhere without a fight.

Episode Summary:

In this bonus episode, Andy Williams and Emily Horgan join Eric Calderon of Surviving Animation for a candid debrief straight from the Kids Screen conference floor in San Diego. With a smaller-than-usual attendance, a shifting industry landscape, and more than a few big questions hanging in the air, the three take stock of what Kids Screen looks like now — and what it might need to become.

Key Takeaways:

1. Smaller crowd, better conversations. Attendee numbers were down, but the quality of conversations was up. The frantic "hard sell" energy of previous years gave way to something more honest — people asking each other how they're really doing and what they're trying next.

2. The old guard model is done. The days of "what does Netflix want?" panels are over. This year's conversation centred on anime, K-pop, webtoons, Roblox, and YouTube — and crucially, the buyers in the audience were the ones taking notes.

3. The audience is there. The business model isn't. Platforms like YouTube and Roblox have the kids. Nobody has quite figured out how to build a sustainable revenue model around them yet — and the group are refreshingly honest that no one left San Diego with the answer.

4. Jonathan Haidt stirred the room. The keynote took a hard line against social media and called out Roblox and micro-drama sessions directly. The reaction was mixed — some applauded, some walked out. The group discuss whether a blanket ban approach is too blunt, and make the case for a more graduated, age-appropriate ladder of access instead.

5. Kids Screen itself is at a crossroads. With attendance below a thousand and a move back to Miami on the horizon, the conference is grappling with an identity question: if the traditional buyer-seller marketplace no longer functions the way it used to, what is the event actually for? The group land on a compelling answer — relationship deposits. You're not closing deals, you're laying groundwork.

6. Do the thing, don't just attend the session. Sitting in on a YouTube strategy panel no longer counts as a YouTube strategy. The studios generating the most excitement were the ones actually experimenting on new platforms — making mistakes, learning fast, and trying again.

7. Humility is the new competitive advantage. Whether you're a veteran studio or an independent creator, approaching new platforms with curiosity rather than authority is what separates those who are adapting from those who aren't.

The mood heading into 2026? Cautiously determined. As Eric puts it: stop surviving, find the fix.

Let me know if you'd like to adjust the tone, length, or structure of any section.

In this special live episode, recorded at KidsScreen in San Diego, Andy and Emily take to the stage to moderate a deep-dive panel on one of the most talked-about new preschool IPs in the market right now: BeddyByes.

Born out of the very relatable chaos of lockdown-era bedtimes, BeddyByes is a new show from Jam Media designed to help young children wind down — and it's been built with real intention, from the ground up. Joining Andy and Emily are John Rice, CEO of Jam Media and co-creator of the show; Richard Goldsmith, EVP of Kids and Family at Blue Ant Media, who handles worldwide distribution; and Vienna Downs, also from Blue Ant, leading consumer products and licensing.

Together, they walk through the full journey of bringing BeddyByes to market — from the initial creative spark and the challenge of pitching a "bedtime show" to broadcasters, to landing deals with the BBC, RTE, Disney Junior, and Moose Toys. The panel covers the deliberate, step-by-step distribution strategy, what it really takes to build authentic consumer products around a new IP, and why owning a clear niche might just be the smartest move a brand can make right now.

It's an honest, energetic conversation about what it looks like to build a franchise the right way — with great content at the centre and the right partners around the table.

This week the Kids Media Club team is back for another Host’s hangout - Andy returns from a ski holiday (not in a cast, luckily) — and he's joined by co-hosts Jo and Emily for a wide-ranging house chat covering some of the biggest stories shaping kids media right now.

The conversation kicks off with something that still surprises people even when they hear the numbers: YouTube has just had its biggest year for ad revenue ever, pulling in $40 billion. Add in the YouTube TV subscription tier — now revealed for the first time in Google's earnings — and the total climbs to $60 billion, making YouTube the second largest TV subscription service in the US.

The team unpacks what this means for how we think about YouTube. It's not the disruptive upstart anymore. It's building tailored content packages — including a kids-specific bundle featuring Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and PBS — and increasingly talking and behaving like a traditional broadcaster. Sound familiar? That's roughly the same trajectory Netflix took, and we all know where Netflix ended up.

Closely related to all of this is the BBC's recently announced partnership with YouTube, bringing seven new BBC kids channels to the platform.

The group agrees it's genuinely mutual. YouTube gets the credibility boost of having the world's foremost public service broadcaster as an official partner — no small thing at a moment when social media platforms are under intense regulatory scrutiny. The BBC, meanwhile, gets reach (especially globally, where those three letters carry less weight with younger generations than they once did) and access to YouTube's expertise in creator-led content — an area where the BBC openly acknowledges a skills gap. The Creator Lab initiative and the ongoing Last Pundit Standing project are all part of that upskilling effort.

Recording on Safer Internet Day (10 February), the team touches on the fast-moving world of platform regulation. Australia — first mover on age restrictions for under-16s on social media — has now requested an urgent meeting with Roblox over child safety concerns, potentially bringing Roblox into the same regulatory frame as other social platforms in France and the UK.

Rather than viewing this purely as threat, the group notes that Roblox, Discord and others are actually accelerating their own age verification and safety rollouts in response. The pressure may be producing faster, better tech than the platforms would have developed on their own timetable. Whether it's enough to get them out of the regulatory crosshairs is another question.

This sparks a broader thought: could regulatory pressure push more platforms towards subscription models, where identity verification is structurally easier to enforce?

From there the conversation takes a wonderfully nostalgic detour into Club Penguin — the beloved, chaotic, genuinely safe online world for kids that Disney acquired and then, the team argues, fundamentally misunderstood.

The diagnosis? Disney saw Club Penguin as a promotional platform rather than as an IP or community in its own right. They didn't invest in a proper mobile transition at the critical moment. And crucially, they couldn't see its long-term potential because they were busy counting Frozen and Star Wars money. The comparison that lands hardest: Club Penguin could have been Roblox. Disney is now investing heavily in Fortnite as its digital parks equivalent — the very thing Club Penguin might have become with patience and strategic vision.

This leads into a broader discussion of Disney's new CEO Josh D'Amaro, the question of whether Disney has a genuine new IP problem (spoiler: the group thinks yes), and what the Eisner era did differently

This week the Kids Media Club welcomes Sarah DeWitt, SVP and GM of PBS Kids, for a conversation that covers a lot of ground — and covers it brilliantly.

For international listeners, Sarah begins by unpacking how PBS actually works: a network of 330 member stations across the US, locally run but nationally coordinated, funded through a mix of voluntary public donations, corporate underwriting (with strict nutrition and advertising rules), and federal grants. It's a model unlike anything in the UK or Ireland, and understanding it makes what comes next all the more striking.

Sarah explains the two major federal funding cuts that have hit PBS Kids hard — the dissolution of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the abrupt termination of the Department of Education's Ready to Learn grant, a $100 million, five-year programme that has quietly underpinned some of PBS Kids' most beloved shows. Super Why, Odd Squad, and the brand new Phoebe and J all owe their existence, in part, to shifting presidential education priorities channelled through that grant. With it gone almost overnight, PBS Kids has cut close to 30% of its content staff and is now looking at halving its development pipeline by 2028 and 2029.

But the conversation is far from doom and gloom. Sarah talks about the extraordinary public response — kids running lemonade stands and sending in their pocket money — and shares that 82% of US voters, including 72% of Trump voters, say they value PBS for its children's content. She's also busy exploring new territory: philanthropic foundations, commercial licensing, and international co-production opportunities that PBS had never needed to pursue before.

There's also a rich discussion about what public service media can do that commercial broadcasters simply won't — from Carl the Collector, a show with a lead character on the autism spectrum that sparked a seven-year-old to ask his parents if he was autistic, to the challenge of creating developmentally appropriate short-form content that pushes back against the addictive mechanics now baked into so much of kids' media.

It's one of those episodes where the hosts keep trying to get back on track and keep getting beautifully derailed — and you won't mind one bit.

Aardman Animations, renowned for its innovative and beloved characters such as Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep, is undergoing a significant transformation in its approach to audience engagement as articulated by Emma Hardie, the executive commercial and brand director. The discussion pivots around the studio's strategic shift from a broadcast-first paradigm to a fan-centric model that prioritizes direct consumer interactions. Hardie delineates how this evolution is not merely a superficial adjustment but reflects a profound understanding of contemporary branding, where the audience is not just passive consumers but active stakeholders in the brand's narrative. This transformation is underscored by Aardman’s rich history, celebrating its 50th anniversary, and highlights the necessity for brands to remain perpetually relevant amidst the ever-changing dynamics of digital engagement and consumer expectations. Throughout the conversation, Hardie elaborates on the intricacies of this shift, detailing how Aardman's storied legacy is being leveraged to foster deeper connections with fans across diverse platforms and demographic segments. The studio is actively exploring innovative ways to engage audiences, such as through interactive social media campaigns and experiential events, which allow fans to immerse themselves in the creative processes behind the beloved characters. This approach not only enhances brand loyalty but also enriches the creative ecosystem that Aardman has cultivated over decades, ensuring that its characters resonate with both new and long-time fans alike. The dialogue encapsulates the essence of Aardman's commitment to crafting narratives that transcend traditional media, emphasizing the importance of authenticity in storytelling. Hardie's insights reveal a forward-thinking vision that seeks to integrate fan feedback into the creative process, thereby making Aardman's offerings not just products but integral parts of the fan experience. As the studio embarks on this new chapter, the implications for the animation industry at large are profound, presenting a case study in how legacy brands can adapt and thrive in the digital age while maintaining their unique creative identity.

Takeaways:

1. In this episode, we discussed Aardman's pivotal shift from a broadcast-first model to a fan-first approach.
2. Emma Hardie elaborated on the importance of audience engagement, highlighting Aardman's dedication to understanding fan expectations.
3. The podcast underscored the significance of innovation within Aardman, particularly in adapting to digital platforms and evolving content creation methods.
4. Aardman's commitment to craft and storytelling remains paramount, as they continue to develop beloved characters that resonate with audiences globally.

Companies mentioned in this episode:

1. Aardman
2. Chicken Run
3. Wallace and Gromit
4. Shaun the Sheep
5. Timmy
6. Powerwash Simulator
7. M&S
8. Pingu
9. Pokemon

In this episode of the Kids Media Club Podcast, hosts Jo, Andy, and Emily reunited in person at London's OTT Question Time event. Between sessions, they carved out twenty minutes to share their insights from the conference, diving deep into Emily's Vertical Video panel and previewing Jo's upcoming Data and Strategy discussion.

Emily's panel tackled the elephant in the room: vertical video is not synonymous with micro dramas, despite what your LinkedIn feed might suggest. What started as marketing tactics has matured into a legitimate digital commissioning strategy spanning sports content, documentaries, and diverse formats that go far beyond scripted drama.

The timing couldn't be more significant. Just weeks before the event, major industry shifts signaled vertical's mainstream moment: Disney announced their vertical pivot at CES, TikTok launched a standalone micro drama app, Netflix hinted at vertical ambitions during earnings calls, and the BBC unveiled a major YouTube partnership.

Perhaps the most compelling insight came from Paramount's unexpected success with Geordie Shore content. When one cast member shared her infertility journey through vertical video, it transcended the show's typical audience entirely. This demonstrated how platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels curate intersecting niches that connect content with viewers who'd never engage with the traditional format.

Vertical isn't cannibalizing traditional viewing—it's complementary. ESPN's "Verts" app proves this beautifully. Rather than pulling sports fans away from the big screen, vertical content enhances the experience with player deep-dives, stats analysis, and supplementary angles that enrich rather than replace live viewing.

The format's inherent intimacy matters too. Phone-based vertical video creates deeply personal experiences, whether exploring serious topics like infertility or offering fresh perspectives on beloved entertainment franchises.

Established players like Channel 4, ITV, and the BBC have reached a crucial realization: audiences aren't coming to them anymore. Rather than doubling down on walled gardens and exclusivity, they're strategically "fishing" where audiences actually are—YouTube, Meta, and other platforms. This represents a fundamental shift from trying to corral viewers through forced exclusivity to acknowledging the fluidity of modern fandom.

Looking ahead to Jo's panel, the conversation turned to a critical tension in modern media: there's no excuse not to know your audience, yet data can easily become misdirection. While data should inform commissioning and distribution decisions, it tends to measure what's easily measurable—which isn't always what truly matters.

Moonbug's Cocomelon provides the perfect case study. Their YouTube data-driven approach demonstrated analytics' power for IP and franchise building, but also raised important questions about creative vision versus algorithmic optimization.

The real skill isn't drowning in data—it's knowing how to zoom out and distill signal from noise. Ironically, experienced media professionals with 20+ years of instinct are uniquely positioned to thrive in this data-rich environment. Their gut feel, honed over decades, can cut through analytical clutter to find strategic clarity that spreadsheets alone cannot provide.

The sweet spot? Combining analytical rigor with seasoned intuition—letting data inform without letting it dictate.

Jo is away so Andy gets Emily perspective on Netflix's latest earnings report. In a recent strategic shift, Netflix are moving away from the subscriber count obsession and focusing on ‘engagement'. It's an interesting pivot, especially as the streaming giant grapples with the reality that their core markets are pretty well tapped out.

The big question now is how to keep demonstrating growth when you've already signed up most of the households you're going to get. Enter: engagement metrics. Netflix wants us to care about hours watched, not just how many people have accounts.

But that’s not the only strategic shift, Emily and Andy look at how vertical content and gaming fit into Netflix’s new playbook.

Meanwhile, the kids' content slate is having a moment. Ms. Rachel and Paw Patrol are quietly racking up serious viewing numbers, proving once again that children's programming might be the steady, reliable workhorse of any streaming service.

And then there's the possibility of Netflix acquiring Warner assets—a move that could beef up their content library and give subscribers more reasons to stick around. As Netflix figures out its next chapter, it's clear the playbook is evolving from "grow at all costs" to "keep people engaged and happy."

Takeaways:

1. The recent Netflix earnings report reflects a shift in focus from subscriber growth to content engagement metrics, indicating a new strategic direction for the company.
2. Despite a slight year-over-year increase in engagement, the overall performance remains underwhelming, suggesting challenges in sustaining growth in a saturated market.
3. The introduction of vertical video content is a significant move for Netflix, aiming to capture mobile viewership and compete with platforms like TikTok and YouTube.
4. Netflix's acquisition of Warner Bros. may provide necessary content diversification to enhance engagement and strengthen their position in the streaming market.
5. The Netflix kids' programming landscape is evolving, with significant shows like Ms. Rachel and Paw Patrol demonstrating strong audience engagement and popularity.
6. The ongoing development of Netflix's gaming strategy highlights their commitment to retaining viewer attention across multiple formats, enhancing overall user engagement.