SHORT BIO
Kai is the host and senior editor of “Marketplace,” the most widely heard program on business and the economy — radio or television, commercial or public broadcasting — in the country. Kai speaks regularly with CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, startup entrepreneurs, small-business owners and everyday participants in the American and global economies. Before his career in broadcasting, Kai served in the United States Navy and United States Foreign Service. He’s a graduate of Emory University and Georgetown University. Kai lives in Los Angeles with his wife and four children.
Episodes by Kai (6,080)
Latest Stories (5,820)
In national broadband rollout, rural landscapes pose a challenge
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Sarah Leeson
Aug 27, 2024
The government is spending billions to expand internet access. But distance, low housing density and other factors complicate the plan.
The U.S. is investing billions of dollars in fiber internet. Here's what makes it run.
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Andie Corban
Aug 26, 2024
We tour a North Carolina plant where melted glass is pulled into the hair-like strands that power fiber-optic cable.
Libraries are essential for internet access, even as national broadband projects ramp up
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Sarah Leeson
Aug 23, 2024
The federal government wants to bring fiber connections to every home. In the meantime, some areas will still rely on the library.
For this hog farmer, uncertainty in Washington is top of mind
by
Kai Ryssdal
, Sean McHenry
and Maria Hollenhorst
Aug 21, 2024
Will there be a new Farm Bill this year? Will the Federal Reserve cut interest rates? These are a few of the questions top of mind for Brian Duncan, farmer and president of the Illinois Farm Bureau.
NDAs are everywhere, from workplaces to weddings
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Sean McHenry
Aug 19, 2024
Thanks largely to social media and #MeToo, nondisclosure agreements have migrated beyond corporate secrets to personal relationships.
Atlanta Fed’s Bostic calls on patience amid the clamor for interest rate cuts
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Sofia Terenzio
Aug 15, 2024
Despite high prices, “wages are growing faster than inflation," and families’ purchasing power is growing, he says.
Shrinking batteries unleash DIY vehicles onto streets of New York
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Aleezeh Hasan
Jul 24, 2024
Though the creative contraptions might help riders get around traffic jams, they also pose serious safety concerns.
Tech and media companies are ditching user totals from their growth reports. Why now?
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Sofia Terenzio
Jul 23, 2024
Instead, companies are opting to report other metrics of growth.
What happens to Biden’s industrial policy initiatives now?
by
Kai Ryssdal
, Heather Long
and Maria Hollenhorst
Jul 22, 2024
Companies have made big investments in response to those policies. That’s not easy to roll back, says Heather Long of The Washington Post.
Hollywood is cracking down on piracy (again)
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Sean McHenry
Jul 3, 2024
As pressure mounts on streaming services to make money, the industry is getting more aggressive about the global problem.