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Mitchell Hartman

Correspondent

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 from Mitchell Hartman

  • In this downturn, franchisees are defaulting on loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration in record amounts. That could have a huge impact on franchise lending in the future. Mitchell Hartman reports.

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  • First Hyundai let laid-off consumers give their cars back within a year of purchase. Now Toll Brothers will cover six months of mortgage payments for homeowners who lose their jobs. Who really benefits from these plans? Mitchell Hartman reports.

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  • Hand crafters Michael Wood and Mona Harris met through work and fell in love, and eventually started working together. Mitchell Hartman reports to keep such a relationship healthy, you've got to be crafty.

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  • Several big retail chains have been going bust in this economy, with Circuit City and Mervyn's the latest to fall. But some companies are willing to spend some money on a still valuable brand name. Mitchell Hartman reports.

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  • A new U.S. law in effect today says child products can't contain more than one-tenth of 1 percent phthalates, a plastic-softening chemical. Congress passed it after last year's recalls of Chinese-made toys. Mitchell Hartman reports.

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  • Mr. Clean is getting a second job. Procter & Gamble is planning to expand its Mr. Clean Car Wash franchise nationwide. But is it that a good idea in this recession? Mitchell Hartman reports.

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  • Today a House committee will explore the challenge small businesses face to cover their employees. Some reformers want to mandate employers provide insurance or pay into a government fund. Mitchell Hartman reports.

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  • The Consumer Product Safety Commission has delayed testing and certification requirements for lead content in children's toys and other products for a year. Tess Vigeland speaks with reporter Mitchell Hartman about the impacts of the delay.

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  • Home sales continue to plunge, which must be pretty frustrating for real estate agents who depend on commissions from home sales. Mitchell Hartman spends time with one of them in Portland, Ore.

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  • Solar power and "smart-grid" technology are the current winners in the venture capital race, and clean-tech is beating out biotech, which is getting a healthy shake-out. Marketplace's Mitchell Hartman reports.

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