“Personal finance expert Suze Orman gets OWN show - Forbes” plus 1 more |
| Personal finance expert Suze Orman gets OWN show - Forbes Posted: 06 Jan 2011 06:53 PM PST PASADENA, Calif. -- Oprah Winfrey says she's "grateful that we weren't embarrassed" during the much-anticipated first weekend that her new OWN network was on the air. For a network started from scratch, OWN delivered some impressive sampling on its Jan. 1 debut. At one point Saturday night, OWN was the third-ranked cable network behind ESPN and USA in the ratings. The challenge will be turning the curious into regular viewers. "I am grateful that the first phase of what we wanted to happen actually happened," Winfrey told reporters on Thursday. "I'm grateful that we weren't embarrassed. I'm grateful that people came." Winfrey called her network's programming "mind food" and said the intention is to bring positive energy into the homes of people who watch it. "I see myself as a messenger for a message that is greater than myself and my message is you can, you can, you can," she said. OWN announced on Thursday that personal finance expert Suze Orman would be getting her own prime-time show this fall. The series, "Money Class," will feature Orman visiting individuals and families across the country to give them advice on their own financial circumstances. OWN highlighted a handful of its new programs on Thursday, including a competition where 10 contestants (out of 15,000 applicants) are vying for the chance to host their own show. "Survivor" producer Mark Burnett, who is producing the competition, has committed to producing six episodes of the winner's show. It's a diverse group of panelists, including an obese chef who wants to do a cooking show that illustrates his effort to get back into shape, a disabled man who wants a show on overcoming obstacles he faces traveling around the world and a prospective variety show host who wants to be "America's gay best friend." Lisa Ling's new series, "Our America," shows her profiling people involved in controversial issues, including sex offenders, faith healers, drug addicts and online brides. Burnett said OWN's programming, at least at its start, has not been predictable. "It's an unimaginable task to me what they've all pulled off," the veteran producer said. Winfrey noted that not all of the new programs will succeed with viewers, although they may succeed with the most important viewer. "There are a few shows, even if they don't respond to, I'm keeping them on because I can, because I like 'em," she said. She said she didn't truly understand the work that would be involved in starting the network - and needed her partners at Discovery Communications ( DISCA - news - people ) Inc. to point that out to her. She said she didn't expect to take a vacation in three years. "It was not actually until we were on the air that I fully started to grasp what it means to have a network where you are the OW of OWN," she said. Winfrey did, however, disappoint the first reporter to ask her a question on Thursday. "Are we all going to get cars?" the reporter asked. Nope. Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Personal Finance: Financial experts see robust 2011 - Sacramento Bee Posted: 09 Jan 2011 10:21 AM PST For investors, 2010 was like a drive on "quease control." With so many dips and bumps, it wasn't always easy to stomach. To get a sense of what's likely ahead in 2011, we asked a handful of local financial advisers for their financial forecasts. The four are: • Tony Bell, financial adviser; Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Sacramento. • Patrick Gainer, senior VP of investments; Wells Fargo Advisors, Roseville. • Gregory Lucas, certified financial planner; Lucas Group Financial Planners Inc., Sacramento. • Laura Pajak, certified financial planner; Foord, Van Bruggen, Ebersole & Pajak in Sacramento. Here's a roundup of their comments: Investors saw 2010 end on a high note, with the Dow and S&P both up double digits. But between May's "flash crash" and other upsets, it was a rocky ride. What's your projection for 2011? Gainer: It's not going to be a straight line, but the stock market is expected to be at much more attractive levels by year's end. The S&P could be closer to 1400; the Dow somewhere around 13,000. There is pent-up demand in the economy after several years of restrained spending. With the stock market up and 401(k) balances increasing year over year, investors are gaining confidence. Lucas: Most likely it will be a bull market. Stocks today are valued at 12.5 times their estimated earnings. Corporate health is good. Companies are holding large cash reserves. This spring, earnings are poised to bloom if consumers return to long-postponed purchases, everything from tires to clothes. Best of all, many stocks offer a better current yield than a savings account, with the added benefit of potential appreciation. Bell: We have a positive outlook on the S&P and Dow Jones for the year. We expect the U.S. recovery to gather strength in 2011. While periodic setbacks are likely, the recovery should boost confidence in private markets and depress "fear trades" like Treasuries. Consumer confidence will pick up steam. Unemployment is still high, but even if you're unemployed, you can still earn. Many still have a 401(k), investment accounts, IRAs and other hard assets like real estate. Any particular sectors that investors should pay attention to – or avoid? Gainer: Health care, definitely … Specifically, products and services tied to an aging population: acute care, surgeries, etc. As well as day-to-day products that we all consume, necessities vs. luxuries. ... Also, if you're seeing a stock with a 2.5 percent dividend or better, that's higher than you'll get with a 3-year CD. Even if the stock remains flat, you'll get a better yield than if you left it in a CD or money market. Lucas: Income investors should take some bonds off the table. Trade them for dividend-paying real estate investment trusts (REITs), utilities and a diversified mix of financial mutual funds. Growth investors should take a fresh look at what's working. The last 39 months revealed which investments stood above the rest. Go with funds that managed well through the downturn. Bell: Most risk assets – equities, corporate bonds, REITs and commodities – will do quite well over the next year, compared to most safe-haven asset classes such as cash and government (bond) debt. As a result, we overweight global equities (especially Brazil, Russia, India and China) … and underweight government bonds and cash. Any investment strategies you'd recommend? Gainer: Don't be chasing "hot dots" … don't invest in the rearview mirror. Diversify your portfolio into undervalued sectors: small and midcap companies, some emerging markets, high-quality international companies. … Interest rates are creeping up again. If you're holding Treasuries and corporate bonds, keep them at as low maturities as possible. … You may want to take some profits from your bonds. Bell: Investment strategies are predicated on understanding your goals and your current financial situation. Understand which buckets of funds will go to which goals. If you're planning on retiring at 60, but living to 90, you need to plan for that. What are your projected life events? Buying a second home? Long-term care? … Plan so that you're solely responsible for funding your own retirement. Lucas: Take a fresh inventory of key milestones, like retirement and college. Check if you are advancing toward your goals. Revisit the power of long-term investing (compound interest and reinvesting dividends). Don't over-concentrate in areas, but diversify across sectors and let the market do its amazing work. Pajak: Review your retirement projections. Everyone who was heading for a certain goal prior to 2008 got shaken up. Run some retirement projections, either with your financial adviser or on websites like AARP.org … Investment values are up from their lows, so it's a good time to take stock of where you are. If you've been adding to a 401(k) or reinvesting dividends the last three years, you may be better off than you think. Gold and silver hit some historic highs last year. Will that trajectory continue or settle back down? Lucas: I don't know, but if I had a lot in gold, I wouldn't rest easy. Today's record prices appear to be attracting more sellers. Pajak: I don't advise buying a bunch of Krugerrands and stowing them under the bed. Get a gold ETF or a mutual fund that invests in gold mining companies, gold bullion or gold futures. Gainer: Precious metals have a place, especially as a component of manufacturing in emerging markets like China, but I don't see them as an investment opportunity. Gold and silver prices are too lofty to give the rate of return they have the past few years. New Year's resolutions? Pajak: Figure out your net worth. January is a good time because all your financial year-end statements are starting to arrive in the mail. Add up all your assets (savings, retirement accounts, home value, vehicles, etc.) and subtract your debts (mortgage, car loan, credit cards). It's a vital scorecard. From your net worth, do a review. Are assets registered correctly (i.e. in a family trust)? Are beneficiary designations accurate on life insurance and retirement plans? If you have too many accounts, can you consolidate? This exercise can produce clarity and confidence about your finances. Gainer: Everyone needs to revisit their 401(k) plan and really drill down. If there's a dollar-for-dollar match from your company, take full advantage. If your plan has website calculators, explore those. Check if there's an automatic rebalancing function, so you can harvest profits (in top-performing funds) and reinvest in undervalued categories. Final tips for 2011? Pajak: Pay off the home mortgage, if you can. If you refinance, don't extend the mortgage term. Keep the monthly payments similar, but make it a shorter term (i.e. 20 years, instead of 30) … If you don't have that mortgage payment in retirement, it's one less thing to worry about. Lucas: Don't overmanage your money: Invest monthly, review annually. © Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved. Have a personal finance question? Call The Bee's Claudia Buck at (916) 321-1968. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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