An astrologer has broken her silence in the wake of the uproar caused by the inclusion of her horoscopes on the 6pm television news programme.
Natasha Weber, who goes by the name AstroTash, has been contributing horoscopes that appear on-screen after the weather forecast on Seven’s national news bulletin since last month.
Although the move has been condemned by those who think it reduces the seriousness of the newsletter, Weber said his “sun sign horoscopes are meant to provide inspiration.”
“We’re in a pretty negative news climate, so why not introduce some lightness and levity?” he said. Herald of the Sun.
She said some viewers had the misconception she was going to push Melbourne presenter Peter Mitchell “off the news desk” and stamp out “serious, tough journalism”, but that was “clearly not the case”.
Instead, the “quick infographic” was an apt way to showcase the “ancient wisdom of astrology,” according to Weber.
Weber said that sun signs, the type of astrology usually presented in newspapers and magazines, were just the “tip of the iceberg” of the study of celestial bodies, their movement in the zodiac and their influence on humanity.
“Some of the greatest minds and philosophers of our time, such as Galileo, Plato and Hippocrates, were astrologers,” Weber said.
Astrologer Natasha Weber, who goes by the name AstroTash, has defended the inclusion of her horoscopes in Seven’s 6pm news bulletins.
‘Astrology is a tool that helps us make the best decisions for ourselves.’
As part of a general “refresh” of Seven News, the flagship evening bulletin now also includes a three-minute skit, “6.57 News”, hosted by comedian Mark Humphries.
Both the comedy segment and the horoscopes have It sparked a sharply divided reaction among Seven viewers, some of whom said the network treated them like “idiots” and had lost interest in serious news.
“Channel 7 news now includes a horoscope. What nonsense. It seems they don’t really care about the news,” one viewer fumed on X.
“Between the horoscopes and comedy sketches featured on Seven News, what better way to go than to go all out? How about Denise Drysdale spinning a wheel and giving away prizes too?” said another.
“Needless to say, I don’t expect this (horoscopes) to last for long. To me it’s a very Women’s Day and New Idea concept!” said another skeptic.
“Seven News treats viewers like idiots with horoscopes,” fumed another.
“Seriously, is this what Seven News is going to make us watch instead of 9, 10, 2 or SBS? This is what puts us off the most. Who are these new puppets making such childish decisions?” fumed another.
Long-time Seven News presenter in Brisbane Sharyn Ghidella also specifically referred to the segment when she was recently let go as part of broader changes at the network.
“I’m also not one to enjoy the evening news with humor and horoscopes, so to be honest, it’s time for me to go,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
However, some viewers defended the inclusion.
Weber now also presents a weekly ‘astrological tip of the week’ on Seven’s Morning Show.
“Astrology is a science, like meteorology, and should be given the respect it deserves,” wrote one.
Weber’s horoscopes followed her appearance on Channel Seven’s morning show in February, where she analysed the effects of five supermoons.
His appearance was applauded by his nearly 80,000 followers.
“Absolutely fantastic and very insightful, Natasha,” said one.
“You are shedding new light on an old system,” wrote another.
Now she provides ‘Astrological advice for the week’ in a short segment where he instructs viewersHow to use your horoscope and harness the power of the stars.
In addition to her work with the Seven network, Ms Weber is a horoscope columnist for Marie Claire Australia and MamaMia.
