OVIS News

What OVIS News does

OVIS News is a blockchain-powered, decentralized media network that aims to incentivize truthful journalism through community verification. Founded in 2019 by former NBC/ABC primetime anchor Linton Johnson and operating as a division of Wyoming-domiciled Opes Media, LLC, the company is headquartered in Hayward, California. Its platform enables community members to assume four distinct roles — news consumer, journalist, fact-checker, and editor — and to participate in story selection, fact-checking, and editorial governance. The primary target audience is general news consumers frustrated with mainstream media bias and misinformation, alongside independent journalists seeking editorial independence, certified fact-checkers, and community editors who want to enforce quality and accountability standards. The product was reportedly the world's first blockchain-powered decentralized news network.

The platform's underlying technology is built on the UX Network, an Antelope-based blockchain that OVIS migrated to in September 2022 from the Binance testnet to gain faster transaction speeds, enhanced security, and zero user transaction fees. Core architectural features include a Token Curated Registry model, TRUTH Token staking mechanics for journalists and voters, an IBC protocol for cross-chain interoperability, and a community fact-checking consensus mechanism in which multiple independent certified fact-checkers validate each article. Product surface includes the OVIS web platform, the TRUTH Token (Ethereum-backed, initially priced at $0.02 per token), tiered memberships (free General Membership, paid Inaugural Membership, Pioneer Club tiers at $99, $499, $2,499, and $9,999), branded merchandise, and a weekly podcast series.

OVIS generates revenue through four streams: TRUTH Token sales, subscription and perpetual Pioneer Club memberships, low-priced branded merchandise ($5 to $29), and modest journalist stipends funded via token purses ($100 per 500-word story). The go-to-market is community-led, relying on social media (Telegram, X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), a content-marketing blog, virtual and in-person events (including a Hayward, CA pilot launch), and a weekly podcast. To date, OVIS has funded operations through corporate grants from Google, Microsoft, and the Oakland African-American Chamber of Commerce rather than institutional venture capital, and has established distribution and technology partnerships with ZapLife (exclusive news provider) and Equteq (blockchain technical partner).

Name

OVIS News

Legal name

Opes Media, LLC

Website

https://ovis.news

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

OVIS News is a blockchain-powered, decentralized media network founded in 2019 that enables community members to serve as journalists, fact-checkers, and editors, using a TRUTH token on the UX Network to verify news and combat misinformation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Blockchain-Powered News Platform

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Securities and Commodity Exchanges (52321)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

On-Chain Reputation, Identity & Attestation for Governance (DID, badges, sybil resistance) (FSAPAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Royalties, Rights & Revenue Management (on-chain royalties, splits, licensing, enforcement) (FSAPAFAC)

Keywords

• Blockchain news platform
• Community-verified journalism
• Fact-checking platform
• Tokenized media network
• Decentralized news governance

Headquarters

HQ city

Hayward

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. TRUTH Token Sales: Sale of TRUTH cryptocurrency tokens, initially priced at $0.02 per token, backed by Ethereum. Token value increases as platform grows; surplus revenues distributed to token holders.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Free General Membership with basic benefits; paid Inaugural Membership at approximately the cost of a cup of coffee. Pioneer Club tiers at $99, $499, $2,499, and $9,999 for lifetime benefits and highest rewards.
3. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including t-shirts ($29), wristbands ($10), and sticker sheets ($5). Proceeds support the OVIS Foundation and are tax-deductible.
4. Journalist Stipends: Compensation to journalists: $100 per 500 words for pilot launch stories in Hayward, CA market. Funded through token purse system.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

OVIS operates a blockchain-powered, decentralized media network where community members participate as journalists, fact-checkers, editors, and readers. The platform uses the TRUTH cryptocurrency token (originally Ethereum-backed, now on UX Network) to incentivize truthful reporting: members stake tokens on story ideas and articles, certified fact-checkers validate content for rewards, and token holders vote on editorial governance. Revenue is generated through tiered memberships (free General, paid Inaugural, Pioneer Club tiers from $99 to $9,999), TRUTH Token sales, and branded merchandise.

Product overview

OVIS News is a blockchain-powered, decentralized media platform offering a single unified ecosystem for community-verified journalism. The core OVIS Platform enables members to participate in story selection, fact-checking, and editorial decisions. The TRUTH Token serves as the utility and governance token powering the tokenized environment. The platform offers tiered memberships (General, Inaugural, and Pioneer Club) providing increasing levels of rewards, voting power, and access. Supplementary offerings include branded merchandise and a podcast series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TRUTH Token: The native cryptocurrency token of the OVIS platform used for community voting, staking, and incentivizing truth in journalism.

Products and services

• OVIS Platform The core blockchain-powered, decentralized media network that lets community members vote on story selection, fact accuracy, and editorial objectivity. Built for news consumers, journalists, fact-checkers, and editors who want verifiable, accountable journalism.
• TRUTH Token Cryptocurrency token used for upvoting story ideas, staking by journalists on articles, rewarding fact-checkers, and participating in platform governance decisions.
• General Membership Free membership tier allowing users to join the OVIS community, receive free TRUTH tokens, engage with content, and access member-only virtual events.
• Inaugural Membership Premium waitlist membership tier offering complimentary TRUTH tokens monthly, 75% off membership dues for life, special voting powers, and exclusive benefits.
• Pioneer Club Memberships Tiered lifetime supporter memberships (Friend $99, Champion $499, Fighter $2,499, Superstar $9,999) providing free community membership, highest rewards pool percentage, and early platform access.
• OVIS Merchandise Branded apparel and accessories including I Am Orca t-shirts, ladies' v-neck shirts, customized wristbands, and sticker sheets, with tax-deductible proceeds to the OVIS Foundation.
• OVIS Podcast Weekly podcast series discussing how OVIS leads the movement on uniting humanity with trustworthy, verified, and accountable people-driven news, available on YouTube.

Quantifiable outcome

• 74.1% of people surveyed are concerned about fake news spread
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• UX Network (Antelope)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2022OVIS migrated its blockchain infrastructure from Binance testnet to UX Network (Antelope-based) for faster transactions, enhanced security, and zero transaction fees. IBC protocol enables interoperability with any existing blockchain.
• EquteqcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 February 2021Equteq partnered with OVIS to deliver the world's first blockchain-driven news media platform. Equteq provides technical expertise and support for OVIS blockchain platforms, supporting the mission to deliver trustworthy, verifiable, and honest blockchain-driven media globally. Michael Mannarino from Equteq serves as Interim CTO.
• ZapLifecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2020ZapLife is the exclusive news provider partner for OVIS. Partnership driven by shared mission to revolutionize content creation through high-quality, authentic content grounded in truth and transparency. ZapLife is disrupting social media while OVIS disrupts corporate media, creating a people-powered digital revolution.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mirror.xyz: Web3 publishing platform (acquired by Block) where writers publish posts as tokenized entries on-chain. Directly comparable to OVIS as a blockchain-native media platform targeting independent journalists and crypto-aware readers.
• Hive: Decentralized blockchain social/content platform (forked from Steem) where users earn tokens for publishing and curating. Comparable to OVIS as a token-curated content network with staking-based governance.
• Lens Protocol: Decentralized social graph (Aave-built) that lets users own content and social connections on-chain. Comparable to OVIS in using tokenized infrastructure to disintermediate centralized content platforms.
• Paragraph: Web3 newsletter and publishing platform with on-chain monetization and creator tokens. Closely comparable to OVIS's news-publishing-plus-token model for independent writers and community-driven content.
• Publish0x: Crypto blogging platform that rewards readers and writers with token tips. Comparable to OVIS's token-incentivized content model, though focused on blogging rather than verified journalism.

Broad incumbents

• Substack: Dominant subscription newsletter platform for independent journalists. Comparable to OVIS as a destination for independent writers seeking editorial independence, though without blockchain or token mechanisms.

Others

• Upland: Blockchain-based platform with mapped digital economies and creator content. Comparable to OVIS as a consumer-facing Web3 ecosystem, though oriented around virtual real estate rather than news.
• Reality Keys: Earlier-stage trust/attestation service for verifying real-world claims using crypto. Adjacent to OVIS's fact-verification mission as an enabling infrastructure concept for blockchain-anchored truth claims.

Emerging players

• BlueSky: Decentralized social network built on the AT Protocol, focused on user-controlled feeds and content moderation. Comparable to OVIS's mission of community-driven trust and accountability, though not blockchain-tokenized.
• Civil Media: Earlier blockchain-based journalism platform that pioneered token-curated newsrooms. Directly comparable to OVIS's TCR-style model and a cautionary precedent on the difficulty of scaling a blockchain news network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OvisNews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6zzIVmKHczQJr6voHoKVzQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/ovisnews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ovis-news
• Instagraminstagram.com/ovis_news

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OVIS News