Pluto entered Capricorn back in January of 2008, beginning its long trouncing of the governmental and other societal structures that are in the Capricornian domain.  But then in April Pluto retrograded back into Sagittarius where it will remain until December, completing its work on our optimism, philosophies, religion, ideologies, interest in foreign nations, globalization, entertainment and publishing – all things Sagittarian.

So this article from Reuters Blogs on the state of American newspapers was an eerie reminder that Pluto is nearly done ravaging through Sag.  The article is entitled “Darkness on the Edge of Town: Newspapers 2008,” and what a great title on the power of Pluto, lord of darkness. The article quotes research from the Pew Research Center that concludes:

“Meet the American daily newspaper of 2008. It has fewer pages than three years ago, the paper stock is thinner, and the stories are shorter. There is less foreign and national news, less space devoted to science, the arts, features and a range of specialized subjects. Business coverage is either packaged in an increasingly thin stand-alone section or collapsed into another part of the paper. The crossword puzzle has shrunk, the TV listings and stock tables may have disappeared, but coverage of some local issues has strengthened and investigative reporting remains highly valued.”

The rise of the internet under Pluto in Sag has eviscerated paper publishing and transformed media altogether.

Nuggets from the article that are apropos of Pluto in Sagittarius include these:

Larger papers have closed most of their overseas bureaus. [Sagittarius presides over our interest in foreign lands.]

Cut Iraq if you must, but do NOT mess with my crossword. [Sagittarius is more interested in entertainment than serious journalism.]

The ranks of editors who check stories prior to publication are thinning. [Accuracy is less important to Sagittarius than entertainment value.]

And finally, echosing the Relentless Optimism of Pluto’s travels through Sagittarius that has seen the ballooning of our houses, our cars, and our debt:

Many of the editors express a remarkable — at times almost eerie — optimism despite the adversities they have faced.”