After more than forty years in broadcasting, and with a family name indelibly linked to the voice of the nation, David Dimbleby wants to crown his career as chairman of the BBC. So is he the right man for the job?

In his horoscope (October 28 1938) Mercury, planet of communication, lines up against unpredictable Uranus, and we would expect Dimbleby to be more independent and provocative in his style. Instead, this configuration comes through as his capacity for coping with live, on-air, unexpected situations. The fracas in Question Time following the New York attack, when some of the audience expressed anti-American views, showed him at his best, and he has emerged unscathed from the ensuing furore.

He is admired by colleagues for his impartiality and abilities as a moderator, indicated by a strongly placed Jupiter, planet of justice, in the tolerant, humane sign of Aquarius. This shows a wise touch with group dynamics and a sense of perspective, guaranteeing everyone a fair hearing. Astrologers Sakoian and Acker say that people with this Jupiter in Aquarius " know no class, racial or religious distinctions. They insist on social, religious, and moral values that are universal, impartial, and democratic in every respect. There is a desire spiritually to share and experience with men and women from all walks of life. ... they attract many friends and become involved in organisational activities that are designed to uplift humanity and bring about brotherhood among men. " (The Astrologer's Handbook).

But behind the thoroughly decent Dimbleby lurks a power-loving, secretive, sexy, deeply manipulative Scorpion. The ability to manipulate others into a situation that suits it is a legendary Scorpio quality. Therapists and healers are often under this sign, and emotional manoeuvres are precisely what many situations require, especially for Dimbleby when he is master-minding debates and needs to pick up on nuances and sniff out where to move next. This is great for a TV anchorman, but is it the stuff of BBC chairmanship?

Comparing his horoscope to the Corporation's horoscope (January 1 1927), his Venus connection means he clearly loves the place and supports its public service ethos. He has a good contact, too, with the BBC television Scorpio horoscope (November 2 1936), where his own Scorpio and charismatic Neptune can shine through.

But the Corporation itself is a Capricorn, and that requires a different kind of political savvy. Despite his background in broadcasting and publishing, Dimbleby's chances of becoming chairman are thought to be reduced because he lacks the experience of managing a big organisation. This is Capricorn country, a land of political affinities and diplomatic deals, and although he probably has a Capricorn Moon, depending on his exact birth time, this influence is dutiful rather than commanding. His reserved Scorpio nature has kept his political affiliations hidden, but this impartiality may not wholly be an asset. Instead, it puts a question mark over his aspirations for the corporation, as if all that he stands for is a sense of tradition and decency at a time when the twenty-first century BBC needs something more dynamic and forward-looking.

The way his horoscope is moving now, there is little to suggest he will succeed in becoming chairman, but like fellow applicant Gavyn Davies (see Media Medium 10 September), this looks like a job he doesn't really need.