Media attention and Sun (And Who Needs an Address, Indeed!)

Finally, there’s a newspaper article in the states about us that isn’t some anti-garment industry hatchet job. It’s refreshing to read a well-crafted piece in the stateside press about us instead of the usual mealy-mouthed libel.

The light and lively piece, entitled “Palm Trees and Sun (And Who Needs an Address),” scribed by Seth Faison, ran in the New York Times on February 22.

The article is a local flavor bit, centered on our lack of street names and addresses. It’s a topic dear to my heart, since I always regarded this as one of Saipan’s most charming aspects. I never thought it was topic enough for an entire article, but Mr. Faison, who is presumably not from Saipan, knew an interesting story when he saw it, and the article is a fun read.

Anyone who’s lived here more than a few months gets used to the no-street-name game, and it’s just part of life. A visitor or newcomer, though, would find it a bit of a shock, I guess.

Of course, as anyone who does business knows, the real shocks here come months and years down the road, and the crooked lines and jagged shadows of Saipan reality become visible, or at least detectable, to the experienced eye. The sunny veneer we see upon arrival causes too much glare for coherence, and the real stories are lurking in the darker shades of events. It takes a while–a solid year–for the eyeballs to adjust.

Which brings to mind the fact that there’s probably more to write about here–for a stateside audience, at least–than just about anywhere I can think of. Sure, the globe offers hot spots and insanity in places like Northern Ireland, Kosovo, and the middle east, but all that stuff is the same old story (ethnic violence).
There’s no compelling reason why a U.S. reader would care any more than a reader in, say, London or Athens.

But the CNMI, by contrast, has a unique angle to capture American interest. American money flows here, and American blood flowed here in WWII. The American flag flies overhead, and Americans–for whatever reason, generally labor-union inspired Public Relations stuff–are beginning to talk about that mysterious corner of the planet known as Saipan.

Even my e-mail tally from readers has changed, and I’m now getting as much from stateside readers of the Tribune’s on-line edition as I am from folks on our fair shores. Some stateside readers are members of the suitcase squad (professionals who left Saipan for their home turf), while a growing segment of readers are folks who have never been here, but are taking an interest in Saipan because of all the media attention in the states.

Like it or not, Saipan is on the radar screen, and it’s there to stay. Mr. Faison’s piece shows that there’s a demand in the states to know more about Saipan. Ditto with my e-mail tally and other correspondence that’s rolling into my office.

Most of what’s being written about us stateside is totally wrong, unfortunately, but that’s the way the game is played in the big leagues. We do our best at the Tribune to put out the truth, but we’re a small voice in a big world. Whether or not the Commonwealth is doing enough to present its case to the outside world is going to be a matter of debate for the foreseeable future. Media coverage in the states is going to be one of the critical factors in determining the CNMI’s future. We may not have an address, but America’s attention knows exactly where to find us now.