MediaWatch

30 January 1999

Media Watch has been a little quiet recently, although the cuttings are still coming in and our archives are growing.- but we have had no major media flaps.

Caroline Gerard has sent in the video of BBC2 Scotland’s edition of ‘Right to Differ’ screened on 15 January 1998 and presented by Philip Differ. Differ is a laid-back, amiable mildly investigative journalist, and in this issue he investigated the forecasting business - astrology, tarot and clairvoyance all being grouped together.

The programme was standard in its script and format, from the opening claim that ‘forecasting is big business’ to the visits to astrologers, tarot readers and clairvoyants. It was, however, very sympathetic, and the various practitioners were allowed to speak for themselves without being unfairly edited or ridiculed, for which the programme makers deserve great credit.

The programme opened with a visit to the Edinburgh astrology centre for a natal reading with Violent Milne, followed by a second appointment for the year’s transits with Mary Chalmers. Differ was most impressed with his tarot reading from Margaret Solis, partly because it agreed in substance with the astrological reading.

Differ was born on 6 May 1956 at 4.00 am in the maternity hospital in Sterling, 3W56 56N07 (Caroline Gerard from birth certificate).

My own collection of tapes and videos is building up, combined with those sent in by AA members. I’ll be making a complete set of all press cuttings for the AA Library once it has reopened, so do please send in clippings as you see them - and videos if you have them. Don’t hold back if you think somebody else might be sending something in - duplicates are always welcome.