Tamara Keith

Tamara Keith joined NPR in 2009 as NPR's newest business reporter. Her coverage spans the business world, from the latest trends in housing and consumer spending to new developments in the ongoing financial crisis. In her work, Keith aspires to "make business stories relatable to all our listeners, not just those who read the Wall Street Journal." In early 2010, she was one of NPR's reporters on the ground in Haiti covering the aftermath of the country's disasterous earthquake.

Keith has covered the major stories of the global recession, including developments in housing and banking, as well as everyday business stories for national and local public radio news outlets. Over the course of her career, she has covered other major news events including wildfires in California and the coal ash spill in Tennessee.

Keith has deep roots in public radio, and got her start in news by writing and voicing essays for NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday as a teenager. After earning her a journalism graduate degree from the Graduate School of Journalism at UC Berkeley (where it was reported she was the youngest person to ever enroll), she went to work for NPR station KQED's California Report, where she covered topics including agriculture and the environment. She then went east to WOSU-AM in Columbus, Ohio, where she reported on politics and the 2004 presidential campaign. Then it was back to her home state of California where she reported again for KQED and KPCC/Southern California Public Radio. Tamara also refined her business reporting skills through work with American Public Media's Marketplace.

She is the recipient of numerous awards, including a first place trophy from the Society of Environmental Journalists for "Outstanding Story Radio."

In her spare time, she hosts and produces "B-Side Radio," an hour-long public radio magazine and podcast.

She is a recreational triathlete and half-marathon runner. Her husband is a cancer researcher and veterinarian.

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1:00pm

Fri August 5, 2011
NPR Story

Unemployment Drops To 9.1 Percent

Job growth has faltered significantly in recent months. But, according to the Labor Department, there was a slight decrease in unemployment last month, falling to 9.1 percent. At the same time, employers added more new jobs than expected.

9:00am

Fri August 5, 2011
NPR Story

Job Growth In Health, Retail and Manufacturing

The private sector created 154,000 jobs. There was growth in health, retail and manufacturing. But governments cut 37,000 jobs, and a lot of those were the result of the government shutdown in Minnesota. Steve Inskeep gets the latest from NPR's Tamara Keith.

2:59am

Wed August 3, 2011
Economy

Deal Averts Default, But Doesn't Fix Debt Problems

Credit Andrew Burton / Getty Images

The bill passed Tuesday to raise the nation's debt limit and avoid default includes as much as $2.4 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade.

"It's an important first step to ensuring that as a nation we live within our means," President Obama said.

The deal was hard-fought, with cuts some say will be painful, but experts say it doesn't come close to fixing the country's debt problems.

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1:08pm

Fri July 29, 2011
Economy

A Weak Economy Is Good For Military Recruiting

The third in a three-part series.

The unemployment rate is high, greater than 9 percent. The military is in the midst of a record streak of recruiting success.

It's not a coincidence. A weak economy is good for the military.

'Sorry We're Not Hiring'

About a year ago, Justin Bock was about to join the Navy. He just didn't know it.

Justin and his wife, Ashley, both had solid jobs. So they bought a house in Martinsburg, W.V.

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6:08pm

Thu July 28, 2011
Around the Nation

Military Spouses Face Especially Grim Job Prospects

Credit Courtesy of Stephanie Davis

Second in a three-part series

In this economy, who in their right mind would quit their job and move to a new city where they don't have any contacts? That's exactly what thousands of military spouses do each year. They don't have a choice.

Stephanie Davis thought she had picked a field that would be portable: teaching.

"And I really loved it," says Davis. "I was at a great school, great district."

That is, until last year when her husband, 2nd Lt. Charles Davis, an Army officer, got orders to transfer to Fort Hood in Texas.

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