Thank Goodness We Have a New, Independent, Credible News Outlet In the CNMI!


Opinion by Mabel Doge Luhan for Mabel’s Table, Kandit News & Views

Just when I thought things in the CNMI couldn’t get any worse, Governor Palacios declared bankruptcy! Moral bankruptcy. He, a brown guy from a mostly brown island powered by foreign citizens and federal grants, officially joined the Donald Trump Party. Well, it’s certainly Si Arnold’s right to join whichever political party he likes — but it’s also our right to recognize what an absolutely spineless move it is. I wish him luck in the official party of grabbing vajayjays, drinking bleach, and invading Greenland.

Yet not all is wrong in the CNMI world this holiday season. There is a sparkle of hope, and I’m not referring to the sparks from my nine-volt nipple clamps. I am, instead, referring to the birth of our savior: Marianas Press.

Without much fanfare, Si Thomas Manglona, a young man whom I remember still in his swaddling-clothes, has started a new outlet for real journalism in the CNMI. See it for yourself:

https://marianaspress.com/

It’s also on The Facebook, which I’m boycotting for their ban on sales of grenade launchers.

Speaking of grenade launchers, the only articles MP seems to be running so far are fairly innocuous, bread-and-butter community journalism. But it’s still great, and worth reading. Unlike the journalistic gloryhole that is the Variety, Marianas Press writes in English, doesn’t ooze sycophantism to authority, and its narrative flow isn’t an homage to absurdism. Bravo!

And I, for once, am not being sarcastic. You might think that here at Kandit we would be snarky (LISTEN TO SNARKY PUPPY THEY ARE VERY GOOD) about a new news outlet appearing as potential competition to us. And you’d be wrong.

Our goal isn’t to monopolize or dominate the news space. Our goal is to shine a light on the news and bring information to the people — a task at which the CNMI’s existing newspapers (soon, newspaper) have mostly failed. While Troy Torso and I pray to different gods (he follows Jesus Christ, while I follow Robert Redford and Lawrence Welk), we do agree on one thing: it is a commendable thing Si Thomas Manglona is doing, and it is a boon to our community. We need more journalism, especially of the competent, thoughtful journalism Si Thomas made his hallmark over at KUAM, and which I know he is capable of delivering (UNLIKE SAIPAN PIZZA HUT, THEY NEVER SHOW UP).

Of course, I have a complaint and a suggestion. I, for one, refuse to view photo-graphs or moving-pictures online, as I have heard it can give me Trojans! So I would wish for the MP to write more and video less. After all, I read Black Inches for the articles, and so it is with all the media I consume! More text, less video. Which is exactly the opposite of what every monetization and media expert will recommend, so take my advice with a packet of MSG!

I also await MP doing some muck-raking and PACER-digging, not just the feel-good anodyne stuff about the teacher of the year. But that’s just the voice of my deep-seated desire to see the world burn!

Biba, Thomas Manglona! Biba, Marianas Press! And Happy Feast of the Circumcision to all!

_____
Mabel Doge Luhan is a woman of loose morals. She resides in Kagman V, where she pursues her passions of crocheting, beatboxing, and falconry.


4 Comments

  • Marianas Press looks like it is being hosted on google sites (which I believe is free) and MP also has a youtube channel. Not sure what the long range goal of his site is, but if the Saipan Tribune is ceasing operations at the end of this month, maybe someone should have inquired to see if they would be willing to give up their website and transfer ownership of their domain name? (not sure if the Saipan Tribune only intended to give up it’s print edition but keep it’s online presence?) Along with establishing a regular website, I would have investigated if any grant funding was available (either private or federal) to establish a new media outlet (sources do exist).
    You could probably do more in the long term (better ad revenue) with a .com website than a free google site (I would think), especially with a domain name that has been legitimately registered for many years and already comes with established viewer statistics. Either way, good luck in your endeavor.

  • I see that the Marianas Variety published an article today (01/03/2025) about the first baby born in the CNMI. The one mother didn’t want to comment and the MV didn’t provide any further information. Well guess what? The Marianas Press youtube channel has a story about that first baby and her Chinese mother who came to Saipan with her husband and I suggest readers take a look at the video description box for the whole story and then draw your own conclusions. I will leave it at that. Oh, and I hope someone reads this and and will post a comment in the Marianas Variety under that “first new baby” story just to let everyone know. Just saying.

  • Mabel Doge Luhan

      01/04/2025 at 8:25 PM

    What an outrage: childbirth! These non-white people are certainly ripping us off by spending $30,000 cash in medical fees at CHCC, plus all the money they spend staying in Saipan for the delivery. I’m glad 34-times-over convicted felon Donald Trump, his Slovenian hooker “wife,” and his African illegal immigrant welfare king boyfriend will Putin end to this.

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