Marketplace

Kai Ryssdal has anchored Marketplace since 2005, and his direct, plain-spoken delivery has made the show a daily habit for millions of listeners. Produced by American Public Media, the podcast airs every weekday and covers the day's business and economic news in about 30 minutes. Ryssdal and his team of reporters stationed around the world talk to CEOs, policymakers, small business owners, and regular people navigating the economy. The show's strength is context -- it goes beyond stock tickers and GDP numbers to explain what economic shifts actually mean for people's daily lives. No economics degree required. Ryssdal has an Emmy for investigative journalism from a PBS FRONTLINE documentary on money in politics, and that reporting instinct shows in how the show approaches stories. Rather than just reading data points, Marketplace finds the people affected by policy changes, trade disputes, and market swings and lets them explain the impact in their own words. The production has a distinctive rhythm: the opening market numbers, followed by reported segments, brief interviews, and Ryssdal's commentary tying it all together. After two decades, the format still feels fresh because the team consistently finds new angles on recurring economic themes. Marketplace is the kind of show you can listen to every single day without feeling like you are hearing the same thing twice. For a reliable daily briefing on the economy that respects your intelligence without demanding specialized knowledge, it remains one of the best options in public radio.