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.
January 2, 1995 - Midday’s Gary Eichten interviews Sandy Stephens, former Minnesota Gopher quarterback about his recollections of playing in the Rose Bowl. Stephens was the first African American All-American starting quarterback at University of Minnesota.
January 3, 1995 - A Midday discussion on welfare reform with KJ Jacobson from Women for Change; Susan Rowe from the welfare rights group Women, Work and Welfare; and John Petraborg, deputy commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
January 6, 1995 - MPR’s Gary Eichten talks with Bill Davis, the new NAACP Minneapolis executive director. Davis discusses his top priorities, including upcoming national convention being held in the Twin Cities, increasing membership, and a youth focus.
January 10, 1995 - Larry Pogemiller, Minneapolis DFL state senator and chair of the State Senate's Education Committee; and Arlene Bush, the president of the Minnesota School Boards Association and a member of the Bloomington School Board, discuss public school funding issues. Topics include failed referendums and school cuts to staff and programs. Pogemiller and Bush also answer listener questions.
January 26, 1995 - Local attorney Amy Klobuchar discusses the making of the sporting dome facility in Minneapolis. In 1982, Klobuchar wrote the book Uncovering the Dome, a history of the political dealings that finally ended with the construction of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.
February 6, 1995 - Midday’s Gary Eichten interviews Vern Mikkelsen, upon being named to the National Basketball Hall of Fame. Mikkelsen reflects on his game days as a Minneapolis Laker and being known by many as the NBA’s first power forward.
February 27, 1995 - Mitch Pearlstein, president of the Center of the American Experiment; and Steven Zachary, director of Minnesota Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, discuss the political and social debate regarding affirmative action. Pearlstein and Zachary also answer listener questions.
March 24, 1995 - On this Midday, Robert Olson, the new Minneapolis police chief, discusses the job and the department. Topics include violent crime, community, domestic abuse, and diversity in the force. Olson also answers listener questions.
March 28, 1995 - Judith Martin talks with Midday’s Gary Eichten about a poll showing happiness in the suburbs of the Twin Cities. Martin describes innate differences between dense Twin Cities and sprawling suburban experience.
April 6, 1995 - Midday’s Gary Eichten gets the spelling bee lowdown from Mary Theurer of Staples, Minnesota. Thuerer details the preparations and experience of students participating in state’s spelling bee.