Kids Media Club Podcast

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!