The weak spot in this job market

January 9, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

🎙️ The Voices & The Context

The Format: News magazine podcast with host-led interviews, expert analysis, field reports, and human-interest stories on economic issues.
The Key Players:
- Host: Amy Scott, delivering crisp breakdowns of daily business news.
- Guests/Experts: Katherine Rampell (Bulwark/MSNBC columnist, sharp on data ethics) and Heather Long (Chief Economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, coins "hiring recession"); plus reporters like Kristen Schwab and Justin Ho, and real people like farmer Andrew Nelson and Asheville Tea founder Jesse Dean.
The Vibe: Educational with a tense undercurrent of economic fragility—analytical breakdowns mixed with resilient "real people" tales, keeping it engaging without panic.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:00) **🎙️ Introduction: Katherine Rampell & Heather Long**
2 (02:17) **Job Market Fragility & Hiring Slowdown**
3 (03:43) **Trump's Pre-Release Jobs Data Post**
4 (06:05) **Fed Policy & Housing Affordability**
5 (09:39) **Rising Long-Term Unemployment**
6 (11:46) **AI in Farming**
7 (18:28) **Asheville Tea Co. Post-Helene Update**

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

The rate of jobless Americans who’ve been out of work for over 27 weeks — also known as “long-term unemployed” — hit 26% in December, according to the latest jobs report. That’s the highest it’s been since February 2022. In this episode, why the rate is rising and what it says about the broader economy. Plus: Businesses curb 2026 growth plans, a farmer discusses AI in agriculture, and we check in with an Asheville, North Carolina, tea company over a year since Hurricane Helene.

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