PBS Series Offers Entertainment, And Investing Lessons

Sound financial advice is nice, even when it’s the byproduct of a popular television show.

As a recent article on CNN pointed out, there are valuable lessons to be learned from “Downton Abbey,” the PBS Masterpiece program that focuses on British aristocrats in the early 1900s.

The entire premise of the ongoing series, in fact, is based on a crisis that takes place when the heir to the vast estate of the family at the center of the drama perishes in the sinking of the Titanic, leading to search for the next in line.

“It’s a good reminder to get your will in order,” according to the story.

Another important message from “Downton Abbey,” according to the article, is to be an active shareholder.

“Activism in the Downton era looks a little different than how hedge fund moguls Carl Icahn and Bill Ackman do it today,” the story states. “But the principle is the same: No one will be as protective of your money as you are. Stay informed and involved in the businesses you invest in.”

Diversifying investments is another lesson offered by the show, one that its major characters learn the hard way.

“Downton’s patriarch, the Earl of Grantham, needs a little Investing 101,” CNN points out. “He loses the entire family fortune at the start of Season 3 by betting on a Canadian railroad company that goes belly up.

“’It wasn’t just me. Everyone said we couldn’t lose,’ he protests.

“His wife, Cora, sums it up best: ‘Why were you so heavily invested in one enterprise. Wasn’t it foolish?’

“Yes, it was. Learn from the Earl and make sure your portfolio is diversified.”