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)

Retail sales continue steep decline

Jul 9, 2009
Retail chains are reporting dismal monthly sales numbers, despite cutting inventories and discounting prices. So why are most of the major retailers still doing so badly? Mitchell Hartman reports.

A concert with that Doritos bag

Jul 7, 2009
Late Night Doritos chips are not only good for a snack, but also a free online concert. Mitchell Hartman explains.

L.A. business ready for Jackson service

Jul 7, 2009
The city of Los Angeles hosts thousands as fans flock to Staples Center to pay tribute to Michael Jackson. Some businesses around the city see opportunities for extra cash. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Small spike in IPOs signals optimism

Jul 3, 2009
The flow of initial public offerings slowed to a crawl during the first half 2009, but the number of IPOs has taken off recently. Could this spell success for start-ups in the months ahead? Mitchell Hartman reports.

Very different states of unemployment

Jul 3, 2009
How much money people get in their unemployment checks -- and even whether they're eligible for jobless benefits -- depends a lot on where they live. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Expect state budget woes to continue

Jul 1, 2009
Nearly all states have had to make program cuts to deal with big budget shortfalls. Mitchell Hartman reports that despite all the budget cuts, the pain is not nearly over.

Why GE, GM are building in Michigan

Jun 26, 2009
General Electric plans to build a new research and development center in Michigan, and GM will make its Chevy Spark in the Great Lakes State. Mitchell Hartman reports why the companies are choosing to invest in and around the Motor City.

China's net software could do harm

Jun 26, 2009
China will soon require all computers sold in the country -- including U.S.-made hardware -- be equipped with Internet-filtering software. But glitches in the program could put a strain on U.S.-China relations. Mitchell Hartman explains.

Foreclosures reach prime borrowers

Jun 25, 2009
The next surge in foreclosures has arrived. Borrowers with good credit are defaulting, and the latest wave of foreclosures is already lapping at the edge of communities all over America. Mitchell Hartman reports.

Foreclosure problems trickle to the top

Jun 19, 2009
It's no surprise that the housing crisis hit subprime borrowers or those who bit off more than they could chew. But now foreclosures seem to be making their way to prime borrowers -- those with good credit and a fixed rate. Mitchell Hartman reports.