Luke Ramseth is an autos reporter focused on Stellantis at The Detroit News who also writes about other automotive and business topics.
Can you tell us what types of stories, trends or issues are on your radar now?
Tariffs and trade have been a central focus for me and our autos reporting team at the News – both reacting to the day’s events and seeking to figure out and explain to our readers what it means for Michigan’s auto sector and economy. As the Stellantis reporter, I’ve also been focused on how that company is navigating a challenging stretch of sales and leadership turnover as well as shifting federal trade and EV policies.
Describe the craziest or most fun story you have written.
It’s tough to pick just one, but several came earlier in my career as a reporter covering politics in Mississippi – wacky campaign events, corruption scandals involving high-profile politicians and famous athletes and late nights tracking epic policy fights at the statehouse.
What story or stories are you most proud of?
I’m proud of our current sustained coverage of tariffs and the up-and-down EV transition, as well as several pieces I wrote over the last year focused on UAW organizing and job security.
What elements or characteristics do you look for in a story?
I love stories that are off the beaten path, have a strong human element or character and maybe a little potential for narrative storytelling.
How long have you been in journalism and how did you get started?
I’ve been a journalist for more than 12 years and got my start working on my high school and college newspapers.
Finish this sentence: If I am not reporting, I am … running.
What advice do you have for PR people who want to pitch you?
It seems obvious, but make sure the pitch is personalized and generally relevant to what I cover. It’s even better if the pitch is super timely based on recent coverage.
Any pet peeves with PR people?
Just the generic pitch that’s not related to what I write about.
Tell us a little about yourself (family, interests, hobbies, background, some fact about you that few people know, etc.)
I grew up in northern California and graduated from Humboldt State University before embarking on my journalism career. I now live in Toledo, where my wife recently graduated from the University of Toledo with her doctorate. Outside of work I enjoy running, cycling, backpacking, watching the NBA and my perennially disappointing Sacramento Kings and attempting to fix up our old house.
