Huffington, Omidyar Launch Website Partnership

A well-established name in the world of internet news and opinion, and an up-and-coming news site in Hawaii, introduced a new partnership today in Hilo.

Arianna Huffington, whose Huffington Post has become one of the most popular websites in the world since being founded in 2005, is teaming with eBay founder Pierre Omidyar’s Honolulu Civil Beat to create Huffington Post Hawaii.

“We are delighted to be welcoming the people of Hawaii into our growing ohana, telling the stories that matter most and, just as important, inviting the people of Hawaii tell their stories themselves,” Huffington said in a column Wednesday on HuffPost Hawaii.

“I want to make sure the world knows about it,” she told a group of leaders from the business and academic community and media invited to the Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawaii today.

Business and academic leaders mingle today during a luncheon sponsored by HuffPost Hawaii. Photo by Dave Smith.

Those telling the stories would include Hawaii bloggers, who she said are welcome to participate in HuffPost Hawaii.

“I really want to invite you to be part of the conversation,” Huffington said.

Omidyar, the billionaire philanthropist  who founded Civil Beat in 2010, said the partnership would give Huffington Post’s 75 million visitors worldwide a closer look at the Aloha State.

“I’ve always felt Hawaii had more to offer the world besides its natural beauty,” he said. “There’s its culture and its wisdom, a way to live in harmony that might easily be taken for granted.”

Omidyar said he believes Civil Beat’s public affairs reporting will be a perfect fit.

“We love shining a light on the problems of Hawaii with an eye toward making them better,” he said. “It’s going to be a great partnership with Arianna.”