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Scott Tong

Correspondent

SHORT BIO

Scott Tong is a former correspondent for Marketplace. He reported on sustainability issues (energy, climate, environment, resources) for Marketplace, as well as the U.S.-China technology relationship, frequently described as “fraught.” He is Marketplace’s former China bureau chief.

What was your first job?

English-language audiotape (yes, tape) voice-over work. Sixth grade.Taiwan.

What advice do you wish someone had given you before you started this career?

Show up an hour before the interview.

Fill in the blank: Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you ______.

Gas for kid carpools; Washington Capitals hockey tickets.

What is something that everyone should own, no matter how much it costs?

Smoker (plus wooden slotted spoon).

What’s your most memorable Marketplace moment?

Sneaking into Burma for twenty bucks.

Episodes by Scott (2)

Make Me Smart | Episode 408

The weirdest trade secrets

Apr 9, 2021
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Marketplace Tech

There’s not enough internet for remote learning to go around

Oct 19, 2020
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Latest Stories (1,339)

U.S. companies lobby for pardon for imprisoned Samsung chip tycoon

by Scott Tong
Jun 7, 2021
The American Chamber of Commerce seeks release of Jay Y. Lee, convicted of bribery. His company is mulling a big U.S. investment.
Samsung executive Jay Y. Lee was convicted of bribery in South Korea, but U.S. businesses want his company to build a semiconductor plant in the U.S.
Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
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After defeats in the courtroom and boardroom, is Big Oil at a climate tipping point?

by Scott Tong
May 27, 2021
Climate activists won seats on Chevron and Exxon's boards, and Shell lost in court. Changes must be big to protect the environment.
Climate activists are advancing in the U.S. But to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, big changes will be required in an energy-hungry world.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
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Cap and confiscate: Now anyone can buy and lock up pollution permits

by Scott Tong
May 25, 2021
A "vault" for carbon-emissions permits could also create incentives to drive innovation in the battle against climate change.
Emissions from a coal-fired power plant enter the atmosphere. Some states limit carbon emissions and create market-based incentives for companies to meet those goals.
Jeff Swensen/Getty Images
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Peloton pedals into new territory with plans for Ohio factory

by Scott Tong
May 25, 2021
When the factory is scheduled to open in two years, will we still be exercising as much from home?
The company no longer plans to rely solely on suppliers in Asia, as demand for Peloton units in the pandemic surged and the company couldn’t keep up.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
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Believe it or not, businesses are society's most trusted institutions

by Scott Tong
May 20, 2021
A new survey finds four in five people trust their employers to tackle social issues more than they do government or nonprofits.
More and more, people recognize everything as political, including our businesses.
Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images
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Pandemic innovation: High-tech family doc brings back the house call

by Scott Tong
May 19, 2021
Wearable devices and face-to-face home visits are helping a doctor transform his practice — and how he cares for patients.
Patient Dennis O'Connor, left, and Dr. Michael Kirisu examine diagnostic devices.
Scott Tong/Marketplace
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Pipeline firms seek to avoid cybersecurity mandates, despite Colonial hack

by Scott Tong
May 17, 2021
Companies don’t need to share information on outages with the government or others in the industry.
Electric power companies and airlines are required to report cybersecurity threats to the government. Why are pipeline companies exempt?
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
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Colonial Pipeline hack reveals critical infrastructure risks

by Scott Tong
May 10, 2021
The Biden administration plans new cyber rules for agencies and contractors involved in critical infrastructure.
Hackers breached the operations of the Colonial Pipeline, which delivers fuel to the eastern United States.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
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Hotels try to follow restaurants' lead and hook consumers on QR codes

by Scott Tong
May 6, 2021
Will the QR code stick around in the long run? Perhaps, if users find the information the codes deliver useful.
From marketing to menus, QR codes have gained traction since the beginning of the pandemic.
Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
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Critical minerals for green energy may become scarce, new report warns

by Scott Tong
May 5, 2021
It's not just a mining issue. China leads in processing and purifying the minerals, but the United States lags in that industrial sector.
The world’s need for lithium for batteries may surge 75-fold in the next three decades.
David McNew/AFP via Getty Images
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