For readers of this blog, you know how I feel about financial journalism these days. The talking heads and the supposed experts we see on TV and read about in the news are doing a great job making people nervous and afraid to invest. It’s clearly having a negative impact on decisions most investors make. Investors tend to be nervous when the markets become volatile but when the media reconfirms their fears or exaggerate their concerns, the investor is more likely to follow the heard.
Lately, the whole concept of Fake News has come into focus as people call out poor reporting. While most of the backlash is focused on political journalism, I believe that financial journalism is even more prone to reporting of half-truths and spreading of misinformation. Journalists know how to stoke fear and anxiety for an investor with clever headlines and drawing comparisons or conclusions in ways that are factually and logically incorrect.
I hope the pressure continues and that the media can reform itself and realize they can help people stay the course in reaching their financial goals. Right now, the majority of the content from CNBC (and most media) is good for entertainment purposes but rarely would I consider it reliable or educational in nature.