An NPR story by tech reporter Dara Kerr about billionaire Marc Benioff buying land in and around Waimea on Hawaiʻi Island caused a stir when it was published in February. The audio version aired in March.
After the story broke, many internet articles and social media posts echoed suspicions about Benioff's ulterior motives. He's the CEO and founder of Salesforce, one of the world's largest software companies.
Hawaiʻi Public Radio is an NPR member station and, naturally, we received feedback from local listeners. Some people felt there were more questions than answers.
The Conversation's Russell Subiono grew up in Waimea and has deep ties to the land and community. He also hosts "This is Our Hawaiʻi," an HPR podcast about large land ownership.
Subiono talked to several people who championed Benioff's philanthropy and felt the NPR piece did not tell the whole story. Interviewees included former Hawaiʻi County Mayor Harry Kim and Big Island residents Shardae Lopez, Jessie Grace, Nancy Carr Smith, and Frank and Laura Sayre.
Last week, The Conversation spoke with NPR's Dara Kerr about her connection to Waimea, diving into property records, interviewing Benioff one-on-one, and the community's reaction.
This interview aired on The Conversation on April 24, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
