Peer News, the online news start-up founded by eBay Inc. Chairman Pierre Omidyar, that plans to start operations later this year, has hired former Rocky Mountain News Editor and Publisher John Temple as its editor.

Omidyar announced the news during a teleconference with reporters today.

John Temple, 56, was well-known editor of Peer News, a local news service co-founded in 2008 by eBay founders Pierre Omidyar and Randy Ching.

He was the president and publisher of the Rocky Mountain News in Denver until the paper closed last February.

The paper was honoured with four Pulitzer prizes under his leadership.

The news service will be based in Honolulu and concentrates on public interest and civic matters affecting Hawaii's communities.

Peer News is in a process of planning to develop original, in-depth reporting and analysis of Hawaii issues.