Associated Press
The entrepreneur who created a virtual marketplace that connects sellers and buyers worldwide is launching an online news site where people will pay to exchange ideas and discuss issues affecting their communities.
Pierre Omidyar, the founder and chairman of eBay Inc., is entering the news business with a new online service in Hawaii. By charging a $19.99-a-month membership, Omidyar hopes to accomplish what newspapers and other media organizations nationwide have long struggled with–having readers pay for content and making local news profitable.
“It’s really critical to help find a new way to do journalism that connects with ordinary citizens in a better way,” Omidyar said in an interview Tuesday. More…