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 (2,010)

Starting a business in a bad economy

Nov 18, 2008
Global Entrepreneurship Week has events in 77 countries. But is now the time to start a business, when the economy is shrinking? Mitchell Hartman finds out.

HUD selling homes for $1

Nov 7, 2008
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has a deal to buy a house for $1. The catch: the homes can only be sold to local governments for neighborhood rehabilitation. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Entrepreneurs talk about their feelings

Nov 4, 2008
Small business owners, does the current economy make you feel powerless or afraid? If so, you're not alone. Marketplace Entrepreneurship reporter Mitchell Hartman attended a peer advisory group where entrepreneurs get help coping with the turmoil in the business world.

Financial crisis is spoiling organics

Nov 3, 2008
Organic food might be good for your health but, as a consumer, it's not so good for your budget. High-end Whole Foods market is cutting expansion plans in response to a more frugal shopping public. Mitchell Hartman reports.

This financial crisis is getting spooky

Oct 30, 2008
The sense of dread in the financial world is no treat, but it'll be a main theme among the tricks played during tomorrow's Halloween festivities. Mitchell Hartman reports on people spooked by the economic crisis who are dressing the part.

Is GM too big to fail too?

Oct 28, 2008
GM is back looking for government help, and the automaker says it can't afford to wait this time -- it needs $10 million to merge with Chrysler. Together, the argument is, the two companies can survive. Mitchell Hartman has more.

Outlook for solar cells is sunny

Oct 28, 2008
Renewable energy has a tough battle these days against cheaper oil and difficult credit, but a solar-cell plant in Oregon is still pushing its product down the line. Mitchell Hartman looks closer into the solar industry.

T-Mobile in smart phone competition

Oct 22, 2008
T-Mobile has released the G-1 phone, a smart phone powered by Google technology. Will its lower price and touchscreen sensibility make it competition for AT&T and iPhone? Mitchell Hartman rings up this report.

Housing construction slump continues

Oct 17, 2008
Construction of new homes was expected to drop in September, but not to the lowest number in seven years. With builders and buyers unable to get loans easily, the decline is expected to continue. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Truckers pull weight on the election

Oct 7, 2008
At $4 a gallon, gas prices are a sting for truckers. So what do they feel the government should do about it? Mitchell Hartman pulled into a truck stop in Portland, Oregon to pick the brain of independent truckers.