Gary Eichten has spent more than 40 years with MPR, serving in a variety of roles including station manager, news director and his current role as host of Midday.
Eichten began his career at Minnesota Public Radio as a student announcer at Collegeville’s KSJR, MPR’s first station. Among the honors Eichten has received during his career is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Award for Best Local News Program. 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. Most recently, Eichten was awarded with the prestigious 2011 Graven Award by the Premack Public Affairs Journalism Awards Board for his contribution to excellence in the journalism profession.
May 13, 1996 - Midday speaks about education with David Berliner, of Arizona State University and author of the book "The Manufactured Crisis: Myths, Fraud, and the Attack on America's Public Schools". He is in town to speak to the faculty of the Minnesota State Universities. Listeners call in with questions.
May 20, 1996 - Midday speaks with Minnesota 8th district Congressman Jim Oberstar, in the studio to talk about aviation safety, the BWCA, the congressional debate over the budget, and more. Jim Oberstar is the senior member of Minnesota's congressional delegation and he'll answer questions from MPR listeners. At the end of the program there's a Mary Losure report on the Cape Cod National Seashore in Massachusetts, and a Bob Collins interview with Dave Helford (sp?), Communications Director for Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
May 28, 1996 - Midday talks with Ann McBride, president and CEO of Common Cause, a non-partisan citizens' lobby organization dealing with issues of money in politics, government ethics and government responsibility. The organization's current focus is campaign finance reform and special interest influence. Listeners call in with questions.
June 3, 1996 - Midday talks with with veteran broadcast journalist Sylvia Poggioli, who has been National Public Radio's Central Europe correspondent for years. She covered the civil war in the former Yugoslavia. Poggioli is in the studio to talk about post Cold War Europe and life as a foreign correspondent. Listeners call in with questions.
June 6, 1996 - Midday discusses same-sex marriage and the Defense of Marriage Act. with guests Ftiz Knaak, attorney and former State Senator and Minneapolis family law attorney Suzanne Borne.
June 17, 1996 - Midday discusses the results of the Russian presidential election with guest Nick Hayes, live from Moscow.. Hayes is a history professor at Hamline University in St. Paul. He has lived and traveled in Russia and studied Russian politics and culture for many, many years.
June 19, 1996 - Midday discusses religion and spirituality in the 1990's, and the role of churches in society with guest Al Quie, former Minnesota Governor and Chairman of the Greater Twin Cities Billy Graham Crusade. Listeners call in with questions.
June 26, 1996 - The Reform Party's newly endorsed candidate for the U.S. Senate, Dean Barkley, is on Midday to answer listener questions, as part of a series of programs with the candidates for U.S. Senate which will be running on Midday all summer and fall. Membership drive in the last ten minutes.
June 27, 1996 - Midday rebroadcasts the Minnesota Public Radio documentary "Signs and Wonders" by Mary Losure about tongue-speaking and the rapidly growing Pentecostalism movement. Pledge drive at start and end of program.
July 3, 1996 - Midday examines juvenile crime with guests Hennepin County Juvenile Court Chief Judge Charles Porter and Minneapolis Police Sargeant Bret Lindback. Listeners call in with questions,