Other Media

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It would be virtually impossible to list all the sources of financial information. Financial information is presented on television on networks such as CNN, shows like Moneyline, and even the evening news, which has a segment to recap the daily trading activity. In addition, specialized financial magazines such as Fortune, Inc., and Forbes provide even further information. Finally, the advent of technology has enabled the Internet to provide more, better, and faster financial information than could ever be used by one person.

Plain English

Other media is a catchall phrase used to describe the various methods by which an investor can accumulate financial information. These include, but are not limited to, television and radio; publications such as newspapers, magazines, and newsletters; and the Internet.

The point is that, as an investor, one problem you should never encounter is a lack of resources with which to monitor the success of your investments. It is of the utmost importance to ensure that your efforts to digest some of this information do not turn investing into a grudging chore but rather an activity that is enjoyable and exciting. This enjoyment can be facilitated by using the media with which you are most comfortable. I, for example, don't like the time commitment involved in reading the newspaper ”or the smudgy fingers. So, I leave the 24- hour news channel playing in the background while I'm getting dressed in the morning. I get my financial news with no fuss or bother this way.

You are certainly free to ignore the whole thing should you be so inclined, but, as stated earlier, the only one you cheat is yourself. Remember that this information is no longer esoteric or irrelevant to you. It is information with which you can evaluate and grow your investments and, subsequently, your money. It is information specifically geared to you, the investor.

The 30-Second Recap

The ticker tape is still used in many electronic forms and contains such information as the stock's name , price, and the number of shares traded.
Indices are an overall measurement of various markets. They are created by averaging the prices of representative stocks and applying internal adjustments as necessary.
The Dow Jones Average is the most popular indicator of the U.S. stock market's health. One of its four components , the Dow Jones Industrial Average, is used synonymously with the New York Stock Exchange.
Composite indices such as the NASDAQ National Market System Composite Index, the AMEX Market Value Index, and the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index measure their respective markets through the average of varying numbers of stock which are best thought to represent the respective market.
Indices can range from the 30 that compose the Dow Jones Industrial Average to the 1,000 to 2,000 of the Russell indices to the biggest of them all, the Wilshire 5000 composed of all the quoted stocks on the NYSE, AMEX, and NASDAQ markets.
Various media, including TV and radio, publications, and the Internet, provide a wealth of financial information and should be used freely by newer investors.

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