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.
May 8, 1998 - Midday presents an MPR special on the tobacco settlement. Program includes report from MPR’s Elizabeth Stawicki, followed by speeches and interviews from Skip Humphrey, Minnesota attorney general; Michael Ciresi, state's lead attorney; jurors, and others. A key component to settlement was the banning of tobacco marketing to children.
May 12, 1998 - Kate Trewick, assistant commissioner of the Department of Children, Families and Learning; and State Senator Larry Pogemiller, chair of the Senate K-12 Budget Committee, discuss the newly approved graduation standards called "Profile of Learning." Trewick and Pogemiller also answer listener questions.
May 29, 1998 - On this segment of MPR’s Voices of Minnesota, Midday’s Gary Eichten profiles and talks with University of Minnesota historian Hy Berman.
June 3, 1998 - Thirty years ago, in 1968, Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy was running for the U.S. presidency. Former Senator McCarthy looks back at that time and talks about the politics of today. McCarthy also answers listener questions.
July 1, 1998 - Ken Peterson, chair of the Management Department at Metropolitan State University, discusses Metropolitan State University's annual Civic Confidence poll. Peterson was co-director of the poll and shares the results. He also answers listener questions.
July 3, 1998 - As part of the country’s 222nd birthday celebration, this program focuses on listener commentary on America, freedom, and what it means. Midday host Gary Eichten talks with callers, many of which are new immigrants.
July 6, 1998 - Joe Nathan, director of the Center for School Change, at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute, talks about charter schools, summer school, the possible NEA/AFT teacher union merger, and other education issues in the news. Nathan also answers listener questions.
July 7, 1998 - Kurt Johnson, chair of the Twin Cities Project on Media and the Public, discusses its new report on restoring trust in the media and improving the quality of local news reporting. Johnson also answers listener questions.
July 8, 1998 - U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone will joins Midday from Washington to talk about his presidential bid, health care, jobs legislation. Other issues coming before Congress are also addressed. Wellstone answers listener questions.
July 28, 1998 - Norm Coleman, St. Paul mayor and gubernatorial candidate, talks with MPR’s Gary Eichten about the issues in the campaign. Topics include uniformity of conceal and carry, partial-birth abortion, and education. Coleman also answers listener questions.