Mitchell Hartman

Correspondent

SHORT BIO

Mitchell’s most important job at Marketplace is to explain the economy in ways that non-expert, non-business people can understand. Michell thinks of his audience as anyone who works, whether for money or not, and lives in the economy . . . which is most people.

Mitchell wants to understand, and help people understand, how the economy works, who it helps, who it hurts and why. Mitchell gets to cover what he thinks are some of the most interesting aspects of the economy: wages and inflation, consumer psychology, wealth inequality, economic theory and how it measures up to economic reality.

Mitchell was a high school newspaper nerd and a college newspaper editor. He has worked for The Philadelphia Inquirer, WXPN-FM, WBAI-FM, KPFK-FM, Pacifica Radio, the CBC, the BBC, Monitor Radio, Cairo Today Magazine, The Jordan Times, The Middletown Press, The New Haven Register, Oregon Business Magazine, the Reed College Alumni Magazine, and Marketplace (twice — 1994-2001 & 2008-present).

Mitchell has gone on strike (Newspaper Guild vs. Knight Ridder, Philadelphia, 1985) and helped organize a union (with SAG-AFTRA at Marketplace, 2021-23). Mitchell once interviewed Marcel Marceau and got him to talk.

Latest Stories (2,024)

In economic recovery, the rich recover more

May 16, 2012
The middle-class has lost significant wealth for the long term. The wealthy -- not so much.

Democrats campaign on auto bailouts

May 16, 2012
Vice President Biden is in Ohio to tell voters the bailouts brought back jobs to the state.

JPMorgan takes a $2 billion fall

May 11, 2012
Huge trading losses by America's biggest bank strengthen advocates of the Volcker Rule and tougher bank regulation.

How JPMorgan's blunder may impact regulation efforts

May 11, 2012
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has been known as a crusader against tighter financial regulation. How will the bank's $2 billion loss affect regulatory efforts?

NBC gives '30 Rock' one last season

May 11, 2012
The comedy show starring Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin has never been a ratings smash. And with NBC now ranked fourth among the major TV networks, it needs to find a way to gain more viewers.

U.S. trade gap widens

May 10, 2012
The Commerce Department reported the U.S. bought a record amount goods from overseas in March. Meanwhile, U.S. companies sold a record amount of stuff overseas. All told, it adds up to a soaring trade gap.

Mortgage delinquencies down

May 9, 2012
Credit reporting agency TransUnion says the percentage of people behind on their mortgages is down to its lowest level since 2009.

N.C. gay marriage ban: Bad for business?

May 9, 2012
Some North Carolina business owners worry the marriage amendment will be costly.

ABC, Univision team up for English-language channel

May 8, 2012
The new 24-hour English-language cable channel will target Latinos. But it's an unproven market.

Cutting public health to pay for student loans

May 8, 2012
Republicans want to use money for preventive care to cover lower interest rates