Digital Media Anlysis
The Keystone XL Pipeline Project – Digital Media Analysis
The Keystone XL project involves the construction of a transcontinental oil pipeline from the tar sand fields of Alberta in Canada to the port of Houston on the Gulf of Mexico. Which purpose the project has is to provide a cost efficient transport system for the oil produced from the tar sands found in Alberta. As the project is controversial, there has been a lot of debate around its political, environmental, economic and regional security implications. The perspectives and opinions vary between different stakeholders depending on the ideology, political background and how each group is personally affected by the project. Below the analysis will discuss the views of the project from an environmental, conservative and national affair columnist’s perspective.
Among conservatives, the main issues are access to cheap oil, creation of job opportunities and national energy security. Political ideology is the most important factor explaining the views of this group. They see the US as an independent nation that should never have to rely on any foreign nation in any material respect. That is why they support the project. Environmental concerns are only seen as absurd expressions of the Obama administration.
The views of the conservatives are the complete opposite of those of the environmentalist groups who see many risks associated with the project. Among these are increased greenhouse emissions, the dirty extracting of oil from tar sands and the risk of oil spills from the pipeline. The reason why their believes differ from the conservatives is that they take a more global and responsible view of the role of the US in the world. This group also tense to be a well educated and over represented on the east and west coast.
A national affairs columnist naturally needs to be objective in his writing and not be bound by any particular ideology as compared with the two sources above. He focuses on the national political scene and the decisions made by their nations political leaders. Most politicians are relatively indifferent and are able to see both benefits and disadvantages of the project. They see the positive benefits of job creation, energy security and other benefits. At the same time they need to consider the opinions of the people to not upset their voters.
To analyze any given text it is critical to fully understand the background, ideology and the self-interest of the particular stakeholder. This is evident in the examples described above.
Simpson J, 2011. Pipeline-altering Lessons . [online] (16 November 2011) Available at: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/jeffrey-simpson/pipeline-altering-lessons/article2237344/ [Accessed 8 December 2011]
Macquain B, 2011. Energy Security and the Keystone XL Pipeline. [online] (25 August 2011) Available at: http://www.conservativecommune.com/2011/08/energy-security-and-the-keystone-xl-pipeline/ [Accessed 8 December 2011]
Stemwell O, 2011. Valparaiso University Fights the Keystone XL Pipeline. [online] (4 November 2011) Available at: http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/news-and-blogs/campaign-blog/valparaiso-university-fights-the-keystone-xl-/blog/37680/ [Accessed 9 Decemeber 2011]