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)

A payday loan won't always pay off

Apr 28, 2009
Payday loan stores are seeing more people walk through their doors as credit becomes harder to come by. But without a steady job, many can't get the advance. Mitchell Hartman explores borrowers' increasingly limited options.

Investors boost health care IT funding

Apr 27, 2009
While investment in biotech is down, health care information technology is holding its own. Investors are following the $20 billion in President Obama's stimulus plan to upgrade and modernize health records. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Stress tests may induce market stress

Apr 24, 2009
Treasury officials say that no one can "fail" the banking stress tests, but banks that get a "low pass" may have to explain how they'll boost their balance sheets. Mitchell Hartman reports how results might stress out the markets.

Regional airports flying into trouble

Apr 22, 2009
When airlines hit turbulence, it's the smaller landing pads that start to suffer. Airlines have canceled nonstop flights to hub cities and vacation destinations or pulled out altogether. Mitchell Hartman reports.

New e-readers get a big push

Apr 13, 2009
E-readers allow users to read books digitally, but sales of the hand-held devices have grown slowly. That may be changing as Amazon and Sony, along with some well-funded start-ups, push a new generation of e-readers. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Gamers score at playing cheap online

Apr 13, 2009
Low-cost online games are thriving as an alternative to pricey video games that require high-end consoles. Mitchell Hartman explores who's benefiting most in the gaming industry and who's playing the games.

Will merger of homebuilders help?

Apr 8, 2009
Housing company stocks soared after two home building giants announced a merger. But the housing market is still struggling in the short run. So is the money being spent worth it? Mitchell Hartman reports.

Workers fight against defense cuts

Apr 7, 2009
The Department of Defense's budget is being trimmed, and many of the cuts are happening in the aviation field. But the people who help make planes are fighting back. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Infrastructure bids lower than expected

Apr 2, 2009
State and local governments are gearing up to spend federal stimulus money on projects like repaving roads, widening interstates and retrofitting government buildings. And contractors are offering good deals. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Home selling moves to a new stage

Apr 1, 2009
As desperation sets in among home sellers, some are using actors to simulate lively neighborhoods in otherwise empty developments. Mitchell Hartman reports this April 1 exclusive.