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 (2,023)

Interest-free loans to get biz on track

May 18, 2009
A new government bridge-loan program will help businesses pay off their mounting debts with interest-free loans. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Car dealers eligible for SBA loans

May 4, 2009
The Small Business Administration will start making more businesses eligible for government-guaranteed bank loans. The move will have a particularly rewarding impact on car dealers. Mitchell Hartman reports why.

Corning to laid-off workers: Come back!

Apr 28, 2009
Specialty glassmaker Corning is asking some of its laid-off workers to come back to help it keep up with rising demand for its products. Is this a sign of things to come? Mitchell Hartman reports.

A payday loan won't always pay off

Apr 28, 2009
Payday loan stores are seeing more people walk through their doors as credit becomes harder to come by. But without a steady job, many can't get the advance. Mitchell Hartman explores borrowers' increasingly limited options.

Investors boost health care IT funding

Apr 27, 2009
While investment in biotech is down, health care information technology is holding its own. Investors are following the $20 billion in President Obama's stimulus plan to upgrade and modernize health records. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Stress tests may induce market stress

Apr 24, 2009
Treasury officials say that no one can "fail" the banking stress tests, but banks that get a "low pass" may have to explain how they'll boost their balance sheets. Mitchell Hartman reports how results might stress out the markets.

Regional airports flying into trouble

Apr 22, 2009
When airlines hit turbulence, it's the smaller landing pads that start to suffer. Airlines have canceled nonstop flights to hub cities and vacation destinations or pulled out altogether. Mitchell Hartman reports.

New e-readers get a big push

Apr 13, 2009
E-readers allow users to read books digitally, but sales of the hand-held devices have grown slowly. That may be changing as Amazon and Sony, along with some well-funded start-ups, push a new generation of e-readers. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Gamers score at playing cheap online

Apr 13, 2009
Low-cost online games are thriving as an alternative to pricey video games that require high-end consoles. Mitchell Hartman explores who's benefiting most in the gaming industry and who's playing the games.

Will merger of homebuilders help?

Apr 8, 2009
Housing company stocks soared after two home building giants announced a merger. But the housing market is still struggling in the short run. So is the money being spent worth it? Mitchell Hartman reports.