Tuning in to the Financial Media: Peter's Picks
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Among our clients, interest in topics related to personal finance and investments varies greatly. Although most people will never have the time or the inclination to become "expert" (for lack of a better term), I believe that everyone can benefit from becoming familiar with basic financial concepts and terminology. Thus equipped, you will always be in a better position to deal with your own finances, and even improve your results when working with professionals.
I encourage you to take advantage of the readily available financial information that is available in the media, for free or nearly free. But I am also aware that much of the information available is self-serving, shallow or useless. In order to help you sort through the available sources, I've compiled a list of some of my personal favorites. Each one goes to considerable effort to make their information and programs educational, and of real value to the public. And, they're easy to take advantage of. The next time you're wondering why there's nothing good on TV or the radio, try tuning in to these quality programs.
Finally, if you have a favorite money show, publication or online resource that isn't mentioned below, and you think it would be of general interest, I invite you to share it with me. I'm always looking for good financial resources that I can use for my own research and for the benefit of clients.
Bob Brinker
1-4 p.m. PT Weekends
In the Bay Area, on KGO AM 810
www.bobbrinker.com
Bob Brinker's Moneytalk has been in national radio syndication for about 15 years. His orientation is straightforward and honest, if a little brusque. The information is sound, and it's easy to get a working education of money and investment matters by listening to the show for just a couple of hours on weekends. A list of the radio stations that carries his show is available at the website, where you'll also find a recorded version and full transcripts.
Rob Black
5-7 p.m. PDT Monday®Friday
In the Bay Area, on AM 1220
www.2020insight.com
Rob is a young man in his 30's who lives, breathes and sleeps stocks. While the show is not for everyone, given its emphasis on riskier individual company stocks, it's fascinating to listen to Rob because he deeply understands the stock investment process, and is so vitally in touch with current rends. Unfortunately, the Bay Area station is being sold, but Rob is also carried on other stations around the country. And, it is possible to listen to the show on the website.
Lou Dobb's Moneyline
CNN, nightly at 6:30 p.m. ET; replays at 11:30 p.m. ET
www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/moneyline/
Recently, CNN brought Lou Dobbs back to Moneyline, and added his name to the show. Personally, I think I liked the show a bit better before they brought him back (not that I don't like Lou, it just seems the show "shifted" somehow). However, if you want to get meaningful business news, combined with interviews of world-class business and financial leaders, you can find it here.
Nightly Business Report
In the Bay Area, nightly at 7:00 p.m. on KQED; also on at
5:30 p.m. on KTEH (San Jose)
www.nbr.com (click on "Where to Watch")
Paul Kangas is the leading personality in this PBS financial news show. While there is a bit more emphasis on Wall Street's daily numbers, the show strives to be educational, and produces a variety of educational videos on the basics of personal finance.
Bloomberg Personal Finance
$14.95/year
www.bloomberg.com/personal/
Unfortunately, most consumer-oriented finance and investment magazines are simply mediocre. At best, they're a waste of time. At worst, they are inadequately researched and filled with ads for questionable investments. Bloomberg Personal Finance, published by one of the leading research and information firms serving professionals, is a standout in the crowd. Most of its articles will be as useful and informative in six months or a year as they are today. Rather than sell the usual bland mixture of feel-good ideas, Bloomberg Personal Finance is filled with informative articles, written by acknowledged industry leaders, many of which cover important topics not often addressed elsewhere. A high-quality, substantial offering, for those ready to graduate from pablum.
The Economist
$125/year
www.economist.com
Okay, it's not cheap, and it's not "easy" reading. But on the other hand, you don't have to be an economist to make sense of this fine magazine, either. Between the covers, you'll find informative articles with a worldly perspective, focusing on business, economics, politics, books and science & technology. In-depth surveys featured in each issue amount to a weekly, high-level intelligence briefing. Backgrounders on economic principals (including recent updates and studies) help the reader brush up on intermediate-level economic theory and thought.
Morningstar Online
$99/year
www.morningstar.com
If you're interested in mutual funds or stocks, want research, education and tools, you'll get all you bargained for and more at Morningstar's excellent website. Morningstar is the premier mutual fund research company that consumers and professionals have come to rely on since the mid-80's, when they single-handedly changed the landscape and showed the rest of the industry how it should be done. Now, you can get nearly all the information we professionals get from Morningstar, at about 5% of the cost. Plus, it's updated continually. You'll also get a lot of educational material in the form of articles and opinions that are well-written and objective.
Morningstar Fund Investor
$89/year
1.800.735.0700
This is Morningstar "lite," but it's a great mutual fund educational tool. In it, you'll find basic research on 500 funds, along with fund news, analyst picks, educational articles and valuable information on many facets of mutual fund investing.
No-Load Fund Analyst
$225/year
www.nlfa.com
Litman/Gregory's No-Load Fund Analyst goes a little deeper, forthose who want to know more about their mutual funds than just statistics. It doesn't cover all the funds out there, like Morningstar or some of the other services, but it's unique in that it focuses on great funds, and gets inside the head of the managers who make the investment decisions. Monthly issues feature in-depth lead articles and research, interviews, news and updates and model portfolios. Quarterly statistical tables round out this excellent package for more advanced students of the mutual fund world.
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