MarketWatch’s mission: The democratization of financial information

MarketWatch.com editor Jeremy Olshan writes about the financial news site’s mission on its 20th anniversary.

Olshan writes, “MarketWatch was born in an act of rebellion. In 1997 it was radical to ask why real-time market data, news and analysis should only be available to those wealthy enough to fork over thousands of dollars in fees. Even in those heady days of internet hype, few declared that financial information wanted to be free.

“As Barron’s noted just a few months after our launch: ‘Once, the average stock or mutual fund holder had to wait until the next day’s paper — or if they were lucky, the evening news — to find out how their stock investments did that day.’

“Twenty years later, the democratization of financial information remains MarketWatch’s guiding principle. High-frequency traders, bots and billionaires may always have an edge against retail investors, but this site’s mission is to help level the playing field whenever and wherever we can.

“In the years I’ve had the privilege of editing this site, our editors and reporters have built on MarketWatch’s legacy, breaking down for our readers ‘what the news of the day means for you and your money.'”

Read more here.