For many who have listened to the airwaves over the previous decades, Gary Eichten’s voice is synonymous to Minnesota Public Radio. 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 routinely 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 that 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 Gary’s distinct tone and insightful questions that listeners came to hear as being MPR.
As Midday host, Eichten let his guests answer those questions and sought 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, Mr. Eichten is a Minnesota treasure, on and off the air.
This large curation is indicative of the breadth of that work.
December 28, 1993 - Midday’s Gary Eichten interviews Bill Wilson, out-going St. Paul council president and civil rights activist, about his thoughts on the city of St. Paul…what’s better, what’s not, and what’s changing. Topics of discussion include downtown business, race relations, and politics.
December 29, 1993 - Outgoing mayors Don Fraser (of Minneapolis) and Jim Scheibel (of St. Paul) visit Midday program to answer listener questions about politics and the future of the Twin Cities.
January 3, 1994 - On this Midday program, coverage from the Minneapolis and St. Paul mayoral inaugurations. Program includes interviews, music clips, and speeches.
January 4, 1994 - Midday’s Gary Eichten talks with Jack Tunheim, an attorney in the Office of the State Attorney General of Minnesota, about Minnesota Supreme Court’s differing view with state legislature over use of DNA evidence in court proceedings.
January 11, 1994 - Curt Johnson, senior aide in Governor Carlson’s office, discusses a plan in front of State Board of Education on implementing school desegregation in metropolitan suburbs.
January 13, 1994 - Midday’s Gary Eichten interviews Doug Swingley moments after he won 1994 John Beargrease Dog Sled Race along Minnesota's North Shore. Swingley talks about his dog team and the race.
February 2, 1994 - Minneapolis Police Chief John Laux talks about Mayor Sayles Belton’s directive to police department in coming up with plan on addressing juvenile delinquents, enforcing a youth curfew, and reorganizing the Department of Juvenile Division.
February 16, 1994 - A Midday interview with Father Phillip Rask on the significance of Lent. Father Rask details the meanings and actions of the Christian religious observance.
February 28, 1994 - On this Midday program, guests Jim Niland and Richard D'Amico answer listener questions about the Target Center and arena’s future with the possibility of Minnesota Timberwolves leaving.
March 7, 1994 - Judith Martin talks with MPR’s Gary Eichten about the growing prominence of graffiti in the Twin Cities. Martin sees a number of reasons behind it, including gang related and juvenile vandalism.