Kai Ryssdal

Host and Senior Editor

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.

Latest from Kai Ryssdal

Oct 5, 2007
NHL’s in a world of trouble — or potential
The National Hockey League season has begun in earnest. But amid the baseball playoffs and the new NFL season heating up, you may have missed it. All of which goes to Diana Nyad's point about the position hockey's put itself in. She talked with Kai Ryssdal.
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Oct 4, 2007
Toy of the day: iPod Touch
The latest, hot item from Apple is the iPod Touch — basically an iPhone with a few things left out. Kevin Pereira from G-4 television talks with Kai Ryssdal about its cool features and high price — for now.
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Oct 3, 2007
You clicked on that ‘Contact’ link
Kai Ryssdal airs listeners' thoughts and opinions on our coverage of the General Motors strike, mystery shoppers, music file-sharing and more.
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Oct 3, 2007
Private services fill troop shortage
In the Iraq war, the spotlight is on the large-scale privatization of what used to be military functions. Kai Ryssdal talked with Steve Schooner, a George Washington University professor who has studied the role of private contractors.
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Oct 3, 2007
If costs are higher, performance worse…
Erik Prince, CEO of the private-security firm Blackwater, defended his company's performance in Iraq before the House Oversight Committee today. Kai Ryssdal has more.
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Sep 29, 2007
Tess’ trash challenge takes a bow
Marketplace will soon launch a special series looking at the American consumer economy — why we keep buying as much stuff as we do, and whether or not its sustainable. Tess Vigeland took up the challenge early, and hauled around her own garbage for nearly two weeks.
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Sep 29, 2007
Week on Wall Street
Stockbroker and business analyst David Johnson talks with host Kai Ryssdal about what happened on Wall Street this week and what may lie ahead.
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Sep 28, 2007
Fighting wrong enemy in cancer ‘war’
Author Devra Davis says in her new book, The Secret History of the War on Cancer, we're going about it the wrong way — treating the disease, while all but ignoring the lifestyle and environmental factors that lead to a greater risk of getting cancer in the first place.
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Sep 27, 2007
Major events, major policies
Author and social critic Naomi Klein's new book argues that disasters or major events provide an opening for governments to make changes in economic policy that they otherwise wouldn't have been able to do. She talked with Kai Ryssdal.
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Sep 26, 2007
PowerSet searches for online niche
Last month Google handled 54% of all Internet searches in the United States, Yahoo 20%. Yet, that dominance isn't deterring a company called PowerSet from entering the search business. Leo LaPorte explained its efforts to Kai Ryssdal.
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