The Hidden Spill

Earlier, I wrote an essay on the effects of advertising called "Climate Change: The Elephant in the Room." It highlighted the ways by which the American public is largely unaware of critical environmental issues taking place right now. I linked the lack of awareness to a media which innately censored stories and information to protect the reputation of their advertisers. News networks like CNN and FOX News rely on, for a large part of their profits, on advertising for companies which have strong ties to the oil industry. The result, as I described, was a certain amount of censorship on stories on climate change in order to prevent those companies from ever being portrayed in a bad light. Just breaking now, is a story closely related to my argument in my essay, that will prove to be a significant player in the future of the Keystone XL pipeline.

The following video serves as a good introduction to the problem:

This video was uploaded on Youtube.com, March 31,2013, showing a neighborhood in Arkansas severely effected by a recent ExxonMobil pipeline oil spill.

According to the Los Angeles Times, "the ExxonMobil pipeline spill, initially estimated to have released at least 157,000 gallons of crude oil [has] driven more than 20 families from their homes." (Pearce). This spill, which is now worse than previously estimated was devastating to the families effected as well as the surrounding ecosystem which was primarily environmentally sensitive wetlands (Shrogren). Still, despite all the damage, media coverage has been remarkably low.

I found out about this spill by stumbling upon the video above on April 1. Naturally, I wanted to learn more, only to find that information was not easily available. Usually, major issues immediately hit the headlines, but that was not the case with this Arkansas oil spill. During the first week following the spill, the only news story I could find from an agency I knew was NPR. NPR of course, is publicly funded, and therefore unrestrained by the agendas of their advertisers. I started to wonder if this spill was purposely hidden from the public.

Upon further investigation, after nearly two weeks after the spill, I found another news agency that picked up on the mysterious lack of information, the RT Network. By no surprise, like NPR, they are also non-profit. The following video brings up an interesting question.

 The RT Network speculates that a no fly-zone around the spill is part of an Exxon Mobil cover up.

According to RT, the no-fly zone around the spill, set up by the FAA, may be an attempt to hide the damage from the public. It is important to keep in mind that this also comes in a time when oil companies are trying to get the Keystone XL pipeline passed. A spill of this magnitude would most certainly sway some public opinion against the pipeline. As I mentioned in my essay, "Climate Change: The Elephant in the Room," companies like ExxonMobil have incredible power in the United States government. It would not surprise me at all, if they were indeed using the FAA to prevent negative publicity.
 
This oil spill goes to show how much power oil companies like ExxonMobil have. They can manipulate the media, as well as the government, at their own whim. There is the old cliché that "money can't buy happiness." Try telling that to the oil industry.

Works Cited

Exxon Pipeline Breaks in Arkansas. Prod. Drew Barnes. 2013. Online Video.

"Media Grounded: No-fly Zone over Arkansas Oil Spill to Censor News Coverage?" YouTube. 
             YouTube, 04 Apr. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

Pearce, Matt April. "Arkansas Oil Spill Is Only a Fraction of Annual Pipeline Losses." Los Angeles
             Times. Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.

 Shogren, Elizabeth. "Arkansas Oil Spill Sheds Light On Aging Pipeline System." NPR. NPR, 04
             Apr. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2013.