Digital Media Analysis

Digital Media Analysis by Sofia, Ebba H. and Linnea

Richard Walls and Jeanette Clayton’s group

Three different sources from YouTube, a blog and TransCanada’s official website argue for different perspectives about the Keystone XL pipeline. The YouTube source presents three different environmentally active people and they explain the negative effects the pipeline will have on the environment, such as the increased carbon dioxide level. Mike Tidwell, founder and director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network claims that saying no to the KXL could mean that “finally we're turning a corner on our dirty energy addiction"(Mike Tidwell, 2011). TransCanada believes that KXL is too important for the economy. The U.S.A. uses five million barrels of oil more than they import per day. The crude oil is a very important energy source for the US and the oil pipeline would secure the country’s oil supply (TransCanada, 2011). A conservative blog written by a majoring in advanced conservative studies discusses how the KXL is important to provide jobs (Conservative Blogs Central, 2011).

The YouTube clip is angled the way it is because the participants are environmental workers and one of them comes from Wisconsin that is severely affected by climate changes and does not want to become worse (Mike Tidwell, 2011). TransCanada are affected by the fact that they are working with KXL pipelines, they have already produced material that is needed and it would therefore be a waste of money to throw it away (TransCanada, 2011). The blogger’s ideology is affecting the perspective of the text by having other political opinions than Obama (Conservative Blogs Central, 2011). All of the sources are only arguing for their own opinion and do not include other perspectives. The people presented in the sources are well education in their own area. However, they do not have enough knowledge of the other parts fields to make an un biased statement.   

It was easier to find arguments against the KXL pipeline because the media provides the demonstrators more attention. The environmental questions are a sensitive matter since it is a very central question. Moreover, the possible applicants for the jobs are not being heard but only governmental people speaking for them. Because of moral reasons scattered parts of the society that need employment may deny the jobs. This is neither brought up in the media. In conclusion, it is difficult to be un objective in the KXL discussion since the options includes a strong stand point.  

                                                                                                           

      Sources  

The blog

http://conservativeblogscentral.blogspot.com/2011/11/obama-cares-about-re-election-while.html

The YouTube clip

The official website

http://www.transcanada.com/keystone.html

Image analysis

Image Analysis

The picture is a press photo and the people in the photo are sitting outside the White House demonstrating against the Keystone XL pipeline. It conveys the disagreement the oil pipeline has created between the government and the people.

Centered in the image is a girl holding a sign which indicates that she and the other people are demonstrating together. The demonstrators are dressed casually which inclines that they are civilians, and their postures inclines that it is a peaceful demonstration. This is a contemporary picture that was taken before winter in the U.S. As a result of the crowd’s light clothing it is possible to make this assumption. The picture is shot from the ground looking up and is capturing the girl with the sign in the center. Depth is conveyed with the White House in the background and the distance between it and the demonstrators. The photo is cropped to give the impression of a large amount of people. As a consequence, it is believed that more people are outside of the picture sitting on the ground along the sides.

The photograph conveys peace and calm by their body language and rebellion by the sign and that they are sitting in front of a governmental buildning and positivity by the sunshine on the crowd’s faces and excluding the White House with its shadow. The crowd is representing a strong unit fighting, despite the fact that the people are of different ages. Due to the fact that the picture is shot in front of the White House it conveys that it is a political demonstration. The gap between the White House and the crowd with the fence parting the people from the political power shows the disagreement between the two parts. In addition, the picture shows the difficulties for the people having an impact on the political system. What is not shown in the picture is the possibility of politicians trying to defend themselves and the amount of people being present. As a result of the picture not including governmental workers the picture is portrayed as only viewing the perspective of the people. This picture was taken when the demonstrators gathered to show their discontentment with the Keystone XL pipe line. The message is projecting the rejection of the KXL pipe line and that there is a disagreement between the government and the people.

Sofia, Linnea, Ebba