Digitization made possible by the State of Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, approved by voters in 2008.
April 19, 1996 - Midday presents Delano Lewis, president of National Public Radio, speaking at Minnesota Meeting held at Hilton in downtown Minneapolis. Lewis’s address was titled “Open Access: Moving All America Into the Information Age.” He also discusses funding and preservation of public broadcasting. After speech, Lewis answers audience questions.
May 10, 1996 - Bill Kling, president of Minnesota Public Radio, and Steve Rothschild, MPR board member, discuss a Minnesota Attorney General investigation into executive compensation, other financial matters at MPR, and its affiliated for-profit companies. They express their concern on perceptions and misunderstanding of organization’s funding. Kling and Rothschild also answer listener questions.
August 23, 1996 - Garrison Keillor hosts his annual “Minnesota Quiz” in MPR booth at the Minnesota State Fair. Audience members try to answer various questions about for prizes. Topics of quiz include state history, sports, weather and arts. Gary Eichten briefly closes out program.
September 30, 1996 - A special Midday re-broadcast of national "Congressional Debate" in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Debate features Newt Gingrich, speaker of the House; Trent Lott, Senate majority leader; Tom Daschle, Senate minority leader; and Dick Gephardt, House minority leader. Topics include Medicare, Family First, tax credits, terrorism, and environment. Debate was moderated by Jim Lehrer, host of PBS’s NewsHour. After debate, political analysts Tom Horner and Bob Meek provide commentary on debates and report on the congressional elections in Minnesota.
October 7, 1996 - Midday presents a rebroadcast of the first Presidential debate between President Bill Clinton and his Republican challenger Bob Dole. The debate was held at Bushnell Theatre in Hartford, Connecticut. Debate was moderated by Jim Lehrer, host of PBS’s NewsHour.
October 10, 1996 - Midday presents a rebroadcast of the vice-presidential debate between Vice President Al Gore and his republican challenger, former Congressman Jack Kemp. The debate was held at St. Petersburg, Florida. Debate was moderated by Jim Lehrer, host of PBS’s NewsHour.
October 17, 1996 - Midday presents a rebroadcast of the second and final Presidential debate between President Bill Clinton and his Republican challenger Bob Dole. The townhall debate was held at Shiley Theatre, University of San Diego. Debate was moderated by Jim Lehrer, host of PBS’s NewsHour.
October 31, 1996 - MPR’s Bob Kelleher presents an election special Midday broadcast, with interview segments of the individuals running for Minnesota’s 8th District congressional seat. Stan Estes, Reform party candidate, Jim Oberstar, DFL candidate; Andy Larson, Republican candidate; and Larry Fuhol, Libertarian candidate, discuss subjects including environment, individual rights, taxes, abortion, and term limits.
December 19, 1996 - MPR’s Chris Farrell talks about the controversy over adjusting the Consumer Price Index and the economic, political, and personal finance implications of these changes. Dale Jorgenson, professor of economics department at Harvard University and a member of the Commission which concluded that the CPI overstates inflation; and Judith Brown, former president of AARP, join Farrell to discuss CPI.
August 8, 1997 - Michael Osterholm, state epidemiologist, answer listener questions about infectious diseases, bacteria and antibiotics, encephalitis, and much more. This was Osterholm’s last appearance on Midday. At end of program, he and Eichten share an appreciation of the other. [Please note program is joined “in progress”, and beginning of hour is not present]