Gary Eichten’s voice is synonymous to Minnesota Public Radio for many who have listened to the airwaves over the previous decades. The retired MPR News editor-at-large Eichten has worn many hats during his 40-plus-year career at MPR, including news director, special events producer and station manager. He served as host for Minnesota Public Radio's live, special events news coverage, and has hosted all of the major news programs on Minnesota Public Radio, including Midday, which he hosted for more than 20 years.
It all began on April Fool’s Day in 1967, when Eichten started his career at Minnesota Public Radio as a student announcer at Collegeville’s KSJR, MPR’s first station. He became the station’s one-man news department and quickly found that turning up his headphones forced him to speak more intimately, which gave him a better radio voice.
In the fall of 1992, Eichten moved from hosting the regional late-afternoon edition of All Things Considered to hosting Midday. In his new role, Eichten personified the art of hosting, a tradition begun by the program’s previous host, Bob Potter. It also solidified that voice to listeners as ‘being‘ MPR.
As Midday host, Eichten let his guests answer those questions, and really wanted to understand their responses. With daily early morning research, his respectful but direct on-air style, and assistance from his long-time producer Sara Meyer, Eichten found himself making memorable radio…from a poignant sign-off of the original regional “All Things Considered,” a live on-air moment with a contentious Governor Ventura, to even a pledge drive.
Among the honors Eichten received during his MPR career is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Award for Best Local News Program and the prestigious 2011 Graven Award by the Premack Public Affairs Journalism Awards Board for his contribution to excellence in the journalism profession. He also assisted in the development of two Peabody award-winning documentaries. In 2007, Eichten was inducted into the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting's Hall of Fame.
Simply put, a Minnesota treasure, on and off the air.
July 11, 1968 - A conversation with Eugene McCarthy at St. Johns, in Collegeville. Gary Eichten and Pat Smith asked McCarthy questions as he was taking a break from his presidential campaign.
January 16, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on Minnesota Governor Wendell Anderson’s State of the State address, with the "Energy Crisis" being Anderson’s highest priority and support for a separate Department of Energy to address this issue. He also supports the federal 55 MPH bill to save on gasoline usage and Campaign finance reform.
February 27, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on caucus results in relation to abortion rights debate.
March 4, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on Minnesota State Senator Allan Spear's no-fault divorce bill. Spear sees it as is a compromise measure, which only deals with grounds for divorce. Traditional grounds replaced by "irretrievable breakdown of marriage" and other terms also changed.
June 6, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten talks with architect Jim Wengler about the preservation of the Grand Avenue neighborhood and about the Grand Old Days celebration. Grand Avenue represents what some consider a solution to energy and problems by renovating existing urban areas rather than building out the suburbs. Wengler discusses the positive and negative aspects of the neighborhood, including the impact of putting in Interstate 35E.
November 4, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on civil rights & political activist Jesse Jackson’s visit to the Twin Cities for a groundbreaking on an inner city shopping complex, one of first in country conceived and developed by minorities. Jackson is president of group called PUSH (People United to Save Humanity), which encourages minority business ownership.
August 25, 1975 - MPR’s Gary Eichten interviews columnist and author Jim Klobuchar, who discusses diversity, immigration, and racism in Minnesota.
August 25, 1975 - MPR’s Gary Eichten talks with columnist and author Jim Klobuchar, who reflects on immigrants to the Iron Range and how they made their living.
August 26, 1975 - Jim Klobuchar comments on Hubert Humphrey's "bleeding heart politics" and how it affected the national picture of American politics.
August 27, 1975 - Jim Klobuchar discusses local professional sports teams, specifically the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Twins, as well as the benefits of a new stadium.