When I heard that grumpy and cantankerous Capricorn Charlie Rose would host CBS’ morning news show, I wondered why so many Capricorns make it in this realm (and why one would want to wake to Charlie Rose – I thought he was the one to put us to sleep).

Why aren’t news shows filled with Geminis and Sagittarians, the two signs that love to talk about news and ideas and generally just love to talk?

In a blog about talk show hosts, I noticed that Aquarians prevail in daytime talk shows.

Why Aquarius for a talk show and Capricorn for a news show?

I think it’s because Aquarius talks WITH the audience and Capricorn talks TO the audience. Aquarius is friendship and Capricorn is authority.

What is authority?

Dictionary.com definition of authority is “the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle issues or disputes; jurisdiction; the right to control, command, or determine.”

The “right to control.” Interesting. Who bestows this right?

I think Lord of the Flies describes it best – authority establishes itself. I am authority because I say I am authority. Remember as children responding to an argument with “because I said so?” You were establishing yourself as authority.

Parenthood is the only natural authority-bestowing situation in our lives. The rest is kind of made up.

Seriousness

Capricorns are serious folks. They may also appear on news shows more than other signs because of a serious and mature nature.

Jennifer Lopez or Katie Couric can tell you that the US invaded Iraq. It’s the same information. We here in the US want to hear it from Katie Couric (watch Mexican news some time to see how different the female news anchors are from US female news anchors).

Capricorns probably also appear in the corporate news shows because they know how to “toe the line.” As purveyors of authority, they do not always challenge authority. If Bush calls the invasion of Iraq “the war on terror,” then our Capricorn hosts call it “the war on terror.”

Generation Gap

While there are too many news show hosts to study on this sunny morning, I did notice in the chart above that the Capricorns are older and the newer news show hosts are from non-Capricorn signs.

As Pluto transits Capricorn, our Capricorn anchors may pass into the annals of history as they focus instead on the disintegrating structures of their lives.

I can’t image waking to Charlie Rose. He’s not my “cup of coffee” but he may be yours. I’m guessing that this time next year will see a new host in his chair.