Cineverse, The Stand Group Launch WITZ Podcast Network with Jay Mohr's Mohr Stories.

• Cineverse aims to double podcast revenue in 24 months. • WITZ Podcast Network expands with The Stand Group's comedy shows. • 12 comedy podcasts join the network, including Pay Your Friends and Mohr Stories. • Jay Mohr's Mohr Stories features celebrity guests like Jay Leno and Flavor Flav. • The network unlocks new monetization opportunities.

Cineverse (NASDAQ: CNVS) and The Stand Group have launched the WITZ Podcast Network, a comedy-focused expansion of Cineverse Podcast Network. The network debuts with Jay Mohr's 'Mohr Stories' and over a dozen comedy series featuring notable personalities like Vinny Guadagnino and Cipha Sounds. The strategic expansion aims to double podcast revenue in the next 24 months by tapping into comedy, the most popular podcasting category in the U.S. According to industry data, comedy accounts for 17% of total podcast ad spend, with U.S. podcast ad revenue projected to reach $2.6B by 2026 [1].

The network's diverse lineup includes shows spanning interviews, sketch comedy, prank calls, celebrity impressions, and pop culture commentary, building on Cineverse's success in horror, true crime, and entertainment content. This partnership between Cineverse and The Stand Group represents a strategic diversification of Cineverse's podcast portfolio beyond its current horror, true crime, and entertainment content. The company is explicitly targeting doubling podcast revenue within 24 months through this expansion into comedy - the most popular podcasting category according to Edison Research data cited in the release [1].

The market opportunity is substantial - comedy accounts for 17% of total podcast ad spend, outperforming news and sports categories. With podcast ad revenue projected to reach $2.6 billion by 2026, Cineverse is positioning itself to capture market share in this growing segment [1]. This move leverages Cineverse's existing infrastructure from its top-10 podcast network while expanding its addressable audience. The immediate launch with established shows like Jay Mohr's "Mohr Stories" provides instant audience access, while the diverse slate of comedy formats (interviews, sketches, prank calls, celebrity impressions) creates multiple content monetization avenues [1].

The expansion demonstrates Cineverse's focus on applying proven growth strategies from one content vertical (horror) to another high-potential vertical (comedy). Their partnership with The Stand Group, known for curating premium comedy talent, gives them access to established performers with existing audiences - reducing audience acquisition costs while accelerating revenue potential through their existing monetization framework [1].

The network's goal is to double podcast revenue in the next 24 months, and the initial slate of shows includes Jay Mohr's 'Mohr Stories', Pay Your Friends w/ Cipha Sounds, Something Went Wrong w/Vinny Guadagnino, and The Stand Presents: 10 for 10 w/Kieran McCann, among others [3]. These shows feature a mix of established talent and new originals, providing a strong foundation for the network's growth. The partnership between Cineverse and The Stand Group aims to bring professional scale and monetization to a world-class lineup of comedy talent [3].

References:
[1] https://www.stocktitan.net/news/CNVS/cineverse-and-the-stand-group-s-newly-formed-witz-podcast-network-n0wj8sa2fap2.html
[2] https://www.ainvest.com/news/usio-2025-q2-earnings-call-unpacking-contradictions-revenue-growth-margins-strategy-2508/
[3] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cineverse-stand-groups-newly-formed-150000540.html