OTT.X, Cineverse and Pledge Partner to Support California Wildfire Relief

Independent Streaming Companies Donating CTV Advertising Inventory to Support Charities Helping Those Affected by the Los Angeles Area Fires

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- OTT.X, the non-profit trade association that has been supporting the home entertainment industry for over 30 years, has partnered with Pledge, the world's most trusted and innovative fundraising platform, and Cineverse (Nasdaq: CNVS), a next-generation entertainment studio, to launch a new campaign to support California wildfire relief. Starting immediately, Cineverse and other OTT.X member companies are donating connected TV (CTV) ad inventory to support charities that are helping those affected. Viewers across dozens of streaming channels are prompted to text GIVELA to 707070 or scan a QR code to go to https://www.pledge.to/cineverse-LA-fire-support and make a donation.

Cineverse, which created the 15-second spot, is making it available to all OTT.X members to use on their linear FAST channels and AVOD platforms calling on their audiences to donate.  Through Cineverse's network alone, CTV advertising reaches approximately 80 million viewers per month.  Channels currently running the spot include Barney, Comedy Dynamics, Crime Hunters, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, Dove Channel, RetroCrush, and The Bob Ross Channel. Additionally, Cineverse has made a corporate donation of $10,000 to be split among the 10 charitable organizations supporting Los Angeles wildfire relief and initially part of this campaign. 

Current charitable organizations included are:

• Altadena Girls is helping young girls regain their sense of self and confidence. Started by Avery, a local teen, whose community was struck by the devastating Eaton Canyon Fire, which led to the destruction of many schools, including her own.
• Animal Wellness Foundation has rescued countless animals affected by the LA fires. They urgently need monetary donations to provide medical care, food, and shelter for the growing number of burned and injured animals in their care.
• Baby2Baby has provided over 2M emergency supplies to children and families affected by the Los Angeles fires. Your help ensures continued support in the difficult weeks and months ahead.
• BLHF: Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation is providing vital mental health services to marginalized communities in areas devastated by the LA wildfires, offering a path to healing and stability.
• California Fire Foundation supports families of fallen firefighters and the firefighters themselves. Your donation strengthens their work and supports California's firefighters and the communities they protect.
• Chamber of Mothers LA Chapter is actively supporting moms & their families suffering from the LA wildfires through numerous local on-the-ground initiatives, including the preparation & distribution of post-partum care kits and providing psychological support services to moms and parents about parenting through this crisis.
• GoFundMe Org's Wildfire Relief Fund is currently supporting relief and recovery efforts related to the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst wildfires burning in L.A. County by sending emergency relief grants of $1,000 each to individuals who have lost homes, loved ones and property.
• Los Angeles Food Bank, with partner agencies, is providing vital assistance to those impacted by the recent fires, which have disrupted access to nutritious food. Your support helps ensure ongoing relief.
• Pasadena Humane has rescued over 400 animals from the Eaton Fire Emergency. They urgently need monetary donations to cover medical supplies and resources as they care for the increasing number of burned and injured animals arriving at our shelter.
• PATH: People Assisting the Homeless has responded swiftly to the devastating fires impacting Los Angeles County, which has affected their unhoused neighbors. Your support enables them to provide critical resources and assistance to those in urgent need.

Said OTT.X CEO & President Hollie Choi: "OTT.X is proud to partner with Cineverse and Pledge to support the charities that will be there for our friends, family, and neighbors in the long road to recovery after the LA fires. By leveraging the power of our industry to amplify their reach, this initiative helps these charities support those who can lend a hand in the critical days and months ahead. Together, we can ensure that those in need have the resources they deserve as our community rebuilds."

Said OTT.X Vice Chairman and Cineverse President & Chief Strategy Officer Erick Opeka: "I am proud to be part of a community of independent streaming video companies who are stepping up through OTT.X to support this recovery. Not only is it important in the broader sense to be helping those impacted by the wildfires, it is also necessary to raise awareness of the many organizations that may not have national brand awareness but are playing a significant role on the ground helping those who need it most."

Said Pledge CEO James Citron: "As a LA-based company, Pledge is deeply rooted in the community affected by these wildfires. Partnering with OTT.X and Cineverse allows us to combine our strengths—fundraising and media—to mobilize support and raise vital funds for trusted nonprofits providing critical relief on the ground."

About Pledge
Pledge is the world's most trusted and innovative fundraising platform that has facilitated over $170,000,000 in donations for more than 50,000 charities worldwide and in 100+ countries. Partnering with leading brands like Zoom, Evite, Warner Bros Discovery, and Shopify, Pledge democratizes charitable giving through AI-powered products, free fundraising pages, and features like text-to-donate and cryptocurrency support. Named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies, Pledge empowers nonprofits, businesses, and individuals to amplify social impact and drive meaningful change globally. Visit www.pledge.to to learn more and make your #PledgeToDoGood.

About Cineverse Streaming
Cineverse owns and/or operates a wide range of premium streaming brands, from free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels to subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) apps. These span fandoms – from single IP channels around pop cultural icons such as Bob Ross, The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan, Garfield and Barney, to channels curated for fans of Horror (Screambox, Midnight Pulp), Pan-Asian and Anime (RetroCrush, AsianCrush), Comedy (Comedy Dynamics), Documentary and Crime (Crime Hunters, Docurama), Independent Film (Fandor), Romance and Rom Coms (Dove Channel), to name a few.

About Cineverse
Cineverse (Nasdaq: CNVS) is a next-generation entertainment studio that empowers creators and entertains fans with a wide breadth of content through the power of technology. It has developed a new blueprint for delivering entertainment experiences to passionate audiences and results for its partners with unprecedented efficiency, and distributes more than 71,000 premium films, series, and podcasts.  Cineverse connects fans with bold, authentic, independent stories. Properties include the highest-grossing non-rated film in U.S. history; dozens of streaming fandom channels; a premier podcast network; top horror destination Bloody Disgusting; and more.  Powering visionary storytelling with cutting-edge innovation, Cineverse's proprietary streaming tools and AI technology drive revenue and reach to redefine the next era of entertainment. For more information, visit home.cineverse.com. 

About OTT.X
OTT.X is a non-profit trade association for OTT, CTV & Streaming, empowering the organizations that are transforming the distribution, monetization and audience experience of video content. Through its conferences, industry initiatives, and community gatherings, OTT.X helps members connect, grow their businesses, gather insights, and collaborate on impactful projects that remove obstacles, enhance efficiency, improve visibility, enable scalability, and push the industry forward. OTT.X members form a vibrant & powerful community of content providers, publishers, platforms, channels & technology organizations that seek to grow their business and innovate the technologies, operations and business strategies for video distribution, consumer engagement and the viewing experience.

CONTACTS:

For Media, The Lippin Group for Cineverse
[email protected]

For Investors, Julie Milstead
[email protected]

SOURCE Cineverse Corp.