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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)

Rental-car companies crash used-car auctions to find scarce vehicles

by Scott Tong
May 4, 2021
The price of used vehicles is up 32% since January.
Rental rates and the prices of used cars could remain high over the summer.
Cindy Ord/Getty Images
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Slow U.S. population growth stiffens economic headwinds

by Scott Tong
Apr 27, 2021
Retirees are living longer, the working-age population is shrinking and birthrates are down in the U.S.
New census data suggests a looming labor shortage. Companies may respond by employing older workers or substituting technology for people.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Companies keep assessing SolarWinds hack as U.S. sanctions Russia

by Scott Tong
Apr 15, 2021
Cybersecurity experts call the hack a supply chain attack. At stake is the digital plumbing of modern life.
From left, FireEye CEO Kevin Mandia, SolarWinds CEO Sudhakar Ramakrishna and Microsoft President Brad Smith testify on the 2020 cyberattack during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Feb. 23, 2021.
Drew Angerer/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
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Is shopping by livestream the next chapter of e-commerce?

by Scott Tong
Apr 15, 2021
A lot of stores, brands and internet titans expect livestreaming to soar this year. And they’re investing accordingly.
Many businesses are able to use livestreaming as an inexpensive and direct way to reach customers.
hobo_018 via Getty Images
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Back to Business

Bike prices still riding high due to supply chain backups

by Scott Tong
Apr 13, 2021
Bikes and parts could cost 15% to 25% more — if there's even inventory to sell, that is.
Some cyclists are resorting to fixing up their old bikes, but shipping backups and COVID restrictions at ports mean shop owners can't get parts either.
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
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COVID-19

COVID vaccines at Dollar General would boost access for low-income populations, study says

by Scott Tong
Apr 8, 2021
According to the company, 75% of Americans have a Dollar General within 5 miles of their home.
Dollar General has nearly doubled its store count in the last decade, filling in gaps in areas without big-box stores or grocery chains.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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Biden holds line on China tariffs, for now

by Scott Tong
Mar 29, 2021
Keeping the trade levies in place is seen as a way the U.S. can maintain leverage with China on a range of issues.
Then-Vice President Joe Biden speaks in Beijing in 2013. Maintaining tariffs on China gives the U.S. bargaining leverage and supports Biden's effort to strengthen domestic supply chains.
Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
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Global brands address forced labor in China, but risk alienating Chinese consumers

by Scott Tong
Mar 25, 2021
A number of companies, though concerned about treatment of Uyghurs, appear to have tried to appease widespread consumer anger.
Some companies have protested the reported abuse of Chinese Uyghurs but face a backlash in the Asian nation.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
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China tech, trade tensions expected to continue under Biden administration

by Scott Tong
Mar 18, 2021
As officials meet in Alaska, the White House will likely maintain a hard line on protectionism, hacking and technology pilfering.
The Chinese are expected to ask the U.S. to end tariffs imposed by the previous president, though that may come at a price.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
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Inflation watch: Shipping container rates and prices soar on U.S. customer demand

by Scott Tong
Mar 17, 2021
Clogged U.S. ports don't just mean a longer wait time for you, the consumer. They also mean ripple effects for Chinese exporters.
Shipping traffic jams in North American are creating a container shortage in China, where almost all containers are manufactured.
STR/AFP via Getty Images
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