Boston-based animation and service studio FableVision is launching a podcast division to take its proprietary and third-party IPs into the audio entertainment market and test new projects in a less expensive medium.

The new unit, called audiyo-yo, will create original podcasts and audio content, develop podcasts for FableVision’s existing brands, and set the company up as one of the few animation service studios also working in the audio space, says president and co-founder Gary Goldberger.

FableVision has hired Anne Richards (pictured) to head up the audiyo-yo division as VP.  Richards was previously an executive producer at kids audio subscription service Pinna, where she led the development of kid-skewing shows Grim, Grimmer, Grimmest and Dinosaur Train: Ride Along Adventures. Before that, she founded content consulting company Cracking Wise Interactive, a where she worked on podcast development and user experience with partners including Netflix and WNET.

Audio content has now become an essential part of kids’ lives as demand for family-friendly podcasts surged during the pandemic, says Goldberger. And having the team and capabilities to reach kids on this level will also make FableVision more appealing to its partners, who want their brands to be 360-degree businesses, he adds.

The studio has built up a significant catalogue with work for partners such as Aardman (Don’t Mix Us Up) and Sesame Workshop (Zebra Penguin Skunk: Beach). But now it wants to create more original productions, and audio is a less expensive testing ground to try out new brands, says Goldberger.

“Audio has become a core part of companies’ media packages. It’s a great vehicle for storytelling, and with the demand up, now is the perfect time for this new division,” says Goldberger. “We want to be a creative home for all clients, and this is a natural progression based on what producers’ needs are.”