About Paul @paulsolman
Paul Solman has been a correspondent for the PBS News Hour since 1985, mainly covering business and economics.
While attending Brandeis University, Solman joined the Brandeis newspaper, The Justice, and eventually became its editor. He got his first journalism job in 1970 at the alternative weekly Boston After Dark.
Solman became founding editor of the rival alternative weekly The Real Paper in 1972 and went on to become a feature writer and investigative reporter.
Solman received an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1978.
After a few years of local PBS reporting, he inaugurated the PBS business documentary series, ENTERPRISE with fellow Nieman Fellow Zvi Dor-Ner.
In the 1980s, Solman produced documentaries, returned to local reporting, and joined the Harvard Business School faculty, teaching media, finance and business history in the school's Advanced Management Program. He also co-authored “Life and Death on the Corporate Battlefield” in 1983, which appeared in Japanese, German and Taiwanese editions. He joined the MacNeil/Lehrer Report in 1985.
In the '90s, with sociologist Morrie Schwartz, a teacher of his at Brandeis, Solman helped create -- and wrote the introduction to the book "Morrie: In His Own Words," which preceded "Tuesdays with Morrie.” In 2015, Solman co-authored “Get What's Yours: the Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security.”
Solman has lectured on college campuses since the '80s and has written for numerous publications, including the Journal of Economic Education. As a one-time cab driver, kindergarten teacher, crafts store co-owner and management consultant, he was also the author and presenter of "Discovering Economics with Paul Solman," a series of videos to accompany introductory economics textbooks.
In 2007, he joined the faculty at Yale, where he contributed to the university's Grand Strategy course for a decade. In 2011, he was the Richman Distinguished Visiting Professor at his alma mater, Brandeis, where he taught a seminar, "Economic Grand Strategies: From Chimps to Champs? Or Chumps?" He has taught regularly at West Point, the Naval War College and was an adjunct faculty member at Gateway Community College in New Haven, CT, where he created the evening program, “Yale@Gateway.” In 2016, he was a Visiting Fellow at Mansfield College, Oxford University.
Since 2019, Solman has chaired the board of the anti-polarization American Exchange Project, a nonpolitical nonprofit domestic "foreign exchange" program that introduces high school seniors from everywhere in America to each other, sends and embeds them, for free, in communities unlike their own.
Solman took up tennis at 50. His father was the American expressionist artist Joseph Solman. He is married with two children and seven grandchildren.
Paul’s Recent Stories
Nation Jun 12
How expensive parts on modern cars have driven up repair and insurance costsThe inflation report finally contained some good news about auto insurance premiums. They've been rising for months and are one part of why inflation has had such a bite. While they finally dipped just a bit, they remain much higher…
Education Jun 04
Why some universities are returning to standardized testing in admissions processHeadlines around higher education this year have centered on protests, free speech and student safety. But some important changes on the academic and admissions front have gotten less attention, including some schools turning back to standardized testing after deciding they…
Economy May 15
Inflation cools but rising prices still dominate Americans’ view of economyInflation cooled somewhat in April, according to new numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The consumer price index rose at an annual rate of 3.4 percent, in line with expectations. But overall, inflation hasn't yet come down quite to…
Nation Apr 18
The benefits of a 4-day workweek, according to employersNearly one-third of large U.S. firms are exploring new schedules like the four-day workweek. Economics correspondent Paul Solman takes a look at what happened at some companies that tried out a four-day, 32-hour week at the same pay.
Nation Mar 28
Major League Baseball opens season with controversy over ‘papery’ uniformsThursday is Opening Day for Major League Baseball and it comes after a Spring Training chock full of controversies. Among the eye-catching storylines: a clothing snafu. Economics correspondent Paul Solman has been pulling threads to bring us this report.
Nation Mar 11
How a complicated benefits system lets some fall through the safety netAmid many of the debates around entitlements and benefits, one thing is often lost to the public: Many people who qualify for help struggle to get and keep their benefits because it can be difficult to navigate the system. Economics…
Economy Mar 08
Why many Americans feel unhappy about the economy despite indicators of improvementFriday’s latest jobs report is proof again of a labor market that has been resilient and often stronger than expected. But according to numerous polls, many Americans don’t feel the economy is strong overall or helping them or their families.
Nation Feb 27
Vision for new affordable city in California meets skepticism from localsCities worldwide are becoming overcrowded, overpriced and a source of global warming. That's why a group called "California Forever" is looking to build a livable, affordable, and eco-friendly community near San Francisco. But some local officials and residents are skeptical…
Nation Feb 20
Low demand for commercial office space fuels economic fearsFederal regulators in recent weeks have signaled concerns about commercial real estate, a financial sector that could spell economic trouble. A combination of decreased demand for office space and high interest rates have put pressure on lease holders and smaller…
Nation Dec 29
Why reports of a surge in retail theft may be overblownMost Americans think there’s more crime in the U.S. than there was a year ago, according to a recent Gallup poll. That’s despite clear data showing violent crime has actually dropped sharply in 2023. So why the misperception? Economics correspondent…