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)

'Cash for Clunkers' running out of gas

Jul 31, 2009
The government's Cash for Clunkers has been an instant hit -- so successful, in fact, that the car-swapping initiative may be out of money. Steve Chiotakis talks to Marketplace's Mitchell Hartman about the program's possible next steps.

U.S. consumer safety camps in China

Jul 30, 2009
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission will set up its first permanent office in Beijing later this year. Chinese authorities must still approve the move, but some say it could help China crack down on shoddy goods. Amy Scott reports.

Ruth Madoff sued over husband's cash

Jul 30, 2009
The wife of convicted Ponzi-schemer Bernie Madoff is being sued for millions acquired from her husband's investment firm. She's the first of Madoff's family to be sued over his case. Mitchell Hartman has more details.

Mortgage plan gives people runaround

Jul 28, 2009
The Obama administration's loan modification program to keep people in their homes hasn't had the results many were hoping for. Mortgage servicers will be at the White House today to explain why. Mitchell Hartman reports.

B of A could close 600 branches

Jul 28, 2009
Bank of America is planning to shut down as many as 10% of its neighborhood branches. Bank executives see the need for physical locations dwindling as computers and smart phones take over. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Lending down, but home sales up

Jul 27, 2009
New home sales rose in June, despite bank lending falling significantly in the second quarter. Home prices have fallen so much that sales are finally picking up. Could the housing crisis be abating? Mitchell Hartman reports.

Citi exec in big bonus purgatory

Jul 27, 2009
Citigroup is trying to decide whether to pay one of its executives the sum of $100 million. But that may be tricky as the bank is one of seven overseen by U.S. pay czar Kenneth Feinberg. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Obama: Schools must 'race to the top'

Jul 24, 2009
President Obama is creating a $4 billion grant program for schools, but only if they accept certain reforms. States may be disqualified from receiving money, unless they agree to use test score data to set teacher pay. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Congress may stop some start-up funds

Jul 24, 2009
Congress is debating whether to allow government money to flow into firms backed by venture capitalists. Some argue start-ups can't make it without VC money, but that shouldn't cut them off from government funds. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Elders dominate among entrepreneurs

Jul 23, 2009
Media buzz usually spotlights 20-something Ivy League grads who start the hottest new tech companies and social networks. But the average tech-company founder is 39 and entrepreneurs over 50 surpass the younger generation two-to-one. Mitchell Hartman reports.