PBS KIDS Unveils New Podcast Slate

PBS KIDS is rolling out two new fun and educational podcasts as it debuts the second season of its Molly of Denali podcast.

Season two of the Molly of Denali podcast bows this month and will be followed by the premieres of the Pinkalicious & Peterrific and Odd Squad: Odd Squadcast podcasts later this year. Audiences can listen along on pbskids.org and anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Major funding for the Molly of Denali podcast was provided by the T. Rowe Price College Savings Plan and IKEA Retail U.S. Major funding for the Pinkalicious & Peterrific podcast was provided by Kiddie Academy, Homer and Target. Additional series content included in the podcast was also funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Northern Ireland Screen. Odd Squadcast was created with major funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Lesli Rotenberg, chief programming executive and general manager for children’s media and education at PBS, said: “Our approach at PBS KIDS is to seek learning opportunities in every new technology and medium. As families continue to seek out meaningful entertainment and creative approaches for at-home learning, we are glad to offer them fresh content with engaging storylines through podcasts. Each podcast allows young fans to get closer to their favorite characters, adding another dimension to their story and the chance to join them on more exciting new adventures.”

In other Odd Squad news, Fred Rogers Productions has inked a national sponsorship deal with Age of Learning’s Adventure Academy for the series, which is co-produced with Sinking Ship Entertainment. Per the deal, a 15-second spot will appear at the start and end of each Odd Squad episode. The Adventure Academy logo will also be included on educational assets and digital media, including the series’ website on PBSKIDS.org and PBS KIDS for Parents (pbs.org/parents). The sponsorship runs through December 26, 2021.

Paul Siefken, president and CEO at Fred Rogers Productions, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Adventure Academy as a national sponsor for Odd Squad. Like Odd Squad, Adventure Academy encourages children to persevere and work collaboratively to solve problems.”