Media Watch

By Nick Campion

Please send any clippings, cassettes and videos relating to astrology in process in the media for the archives to me at 51 Bellevue Crescent, Bristol BS8 4TF, UK. You can e mail me at email Nick Campion. All tapes will be copied and returned. Also, please let me now if you are yourself doing anything in the media concerned with astrology.

Apart from Dave Gorman's Important Astrology Experiment, which is covered elsewhere in Transit, it's been an eerily quiet period of astrology in the British media. I am grateful to Kate Jones for sending me a delightful astrological poem by Jeanne Jinks from Word Share, Lincolnshire County Council's Creative Writing Magazine for Autumn 2002. Jeanne describes the astrological nature of her partners, real and imaginary - Cancer, Scorpio, Leo, Taurus and Capricorn - and not always in flattering terms. If you read this Jeanne, we would love to hear from you.

Kate also sent me a clipping from the London Evening Standard introducing its new astrologer, Shelley von Strunckel. Actually, if I remember correctly, Shelley wrote for the Standard before. The workings of internal politics ensured that she was replaced by another of Patrick Walker's heirs, Peter Watson, who in turn was deposed by Sarah Bartlett, who has now made way for Shelley's return. Shelley's column was reinstated on 30th September, but on the 25th September Fiona McIntosh penned a portrait of Shelley (p. 29). McIntosh's text plays heavily on the lifestyle issues which are used to portray Shelley as a vital adviser to the Standard's readers, emphasising the décor in her flat and her personal glamour. That in itself is an interesting comment on the press' ability use their horoscope columns to make astrology mainstream. Interspersed are eloquent quotes from Shelley on the function of astrology: 'it is important to give the reader the feeling that they are an individual'. Interestingly though, even though McIntosh is under editorial orders to boost Shelley, evidence of other pressures creep in. There has to be some acknowledgement of scepticism: 'It is difficult to imagine stiff British CEOs suspending their criticism long enough have their birth charts read', writes McIntosh. But why? Has she really thought about this. And then: 'No matter how thin your belief in astrology, Shelley makes it sound utterly convincing. Besides you want to believe it'. Why? Who wants to believe it? The journalist? Carefully read, such articles offer an insight into two thousand years worth of debate of astrology.

Back to the media archives - we now have a home for them at Bath Spa University College so sometime in the future it should be possible to begin a catalogue.

Front Page***World News ***Dave Gorman's Important Astrology Experiment***Comment - Phyllis Playter***Data Department***Just Another Crash? Revisited ***Frozen World Discovered***Ballad of John and Edwina by Pete Watson***Musings of a Yorkshire Astrologer ***Pioneering Centre for the Study of Cultural Astronomy and Astrology by Alice Ekrek***Submissions to Transit***AA Website