Talking Podcasts 2

Who actually pays for kids' podcasts? Kids podcasts can deliver serious scale. But scale doesn't always equal sustainability. Unlike adult podcasts, children's shows can't rely on programmatic advertising — and even at millions of monthly listens and views, revenue models look very different. Monetisation in kids audio is shaped by regulation, trust, parent purchasing behaviour, and limited ad infrastructure. This session brings together creatives from across the family audio ecosystem to unpack the real economics behind children's podcasting. We'll explore subscription-first businesses built on listener loyalty, the realities (and limits) of host-read advertising, how commissions and partnerships support long-term production, and where grant funding fits into the picture. Rather than offering a single solution, this conversation examines the trade-offs between funding models — creative freedom vs commercial pressure, stability vs scale — and asks what “sustainable” really means for kids podcasts in 2026. This is a candid look at the structural challenges and opportunities shaping the future of family audio.