Midday, the longest running MPR news program, began as an extension of a daily half hour noon newscast called “Midday Report.” In September 1971 it expanded into various longer iterations, running weekdays, as well as encompassing some weekend programming. During this period, it was described as: “A program of news and information, a calendar of the day’s cultural events and the environmental report.” In January 1972 the name changed to Midday, and a month later it was described as: “A program of news, consumer and environmental information, discussion of public issues, and reports by the MPR and NPR news staffs."
Separate MPR public affairs programming were featured, such as Spectrum, Sportfolio, MPR Special, Insight, Weekend, Forum, and MPR’s Mainstreet Radio, among others. Local programming was also featured, including Westminster Town Hall Forum, Carlson Lecture Series, Minnesota Meeting, Minnesota Press Club, and Mondale Policy Forum. National outside programming included Options, Horizons, Communique, National Press Club, Chappaqua Lecture, Ford Hall Forum, Commonwealth Club, among others; and interview shows from the likes of Studs Terkel, William F. Buckley and Nancy Fushan.
As the years progressed, the “Interview” and “Call-in” would become a regular format for Midday. Beginning in the mid-1970’s until 1992, Midday was hosted by Bob Potter, after which, Gary Eichten became the permanent host. Many guest hosts also participated over the years. During the Eichten era, Midday became a daily two-hour program staple, running from 11AM-1PM. Midday ended its run in January 2012, when long-time host Eichten retired.
December 18, 1984 - Joanne Slavin answers listener questions about nutrition and diets.
December 20, 1984 - A Midday broadcast of author Madeleine L'Engle at Chautauqua Lecture Series in New York. In address, L'Engle tells her personal story of rebellion and individualism as she worked her way up the literary ladder.
December 21, 1984 - Angela Davis, black activist and teacher, speaking at the Sabathani Community Center in Minneapolis, and by the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women. Davis’s address was titled "Women and the Fight Against Racism.” She talks about women, race, and poverty and the effects of the Reagan administration policies on female heads of households.
December 26, 1984 - Cicero Wilson, director of the neighborhood revitalization program at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, provided the keynote speech at the 1984 Itasca Seminar. The theme of the seminar was "Competition and Cooperation - Power and Sharing: Finding the Balances". Wilson spoke about the forces of competition and cooperation in revitalizing distressed neighborhoods. After his presentation, Wilson took several questions and comments from conference participants. Cicero Wilson was educated at Harvard and Columbia and was president of the "Students' Afro-American Society" at Columbia during the student protests of 1968. The Itasca Seminar is organized and sponsored by the Minneapolis Foundation. This year's seminar was also co-sponsored by 17 different corporations, foundations and other organizations in the Twin Cities.
December 27, 1984 - Virginia Corsi, consultant, speaking at the Itasca Seminar "Competition and Cooperation - Power and Sharing: Finding the Balances,” organized and sponsored by the Minneapolis Foundation. Corsi’s address was on the topic "Risk-Taking as a Means to Personal and Professional Growth." Virginia Corsi heads a 20-member institutional investors council in New York City. Before that she worked in the Agency for International Development in the U.S. State Department, and earlier was associated with the Aspen Institute of Colorado and New York City. Corsi is a graduate of the Maxwell School of Syracuse University.
December 28, 1984 - Alexis Herman, chief operating officer and a co-founder of Green-Herman and Associates, a minority-owned corporation that specializes in improving productivity for small businesses, speaking at the 1984 Itasca Seminar. The theme of the seminar was "Competition and Cooperation - Power and Sharing: Finding the Balances". Herman addressed the effects on employment of a competitive high-tech environment. After her presentation, Herman took several questions and comments from conference participants. Herman heads a minority-owned small business corporation in Washington, D.C. Previously, Alexis Herman was director of the women's bureau in the U.S. Department of Labor during the Carter administration. She is a graduate of Xavier University of Louisiana. The Itasca Seminar is organized and sponsored by the Minneapolis Foundation. This year's seminar was also co-sponsored by 17 different corporations, foundations and other organizations in the Twin Cities.
December 31, 1984 - Nancy Amidei, director of the Food Resources Action Coalition, speaking to a Twin Cities forum sponsored by the Mayor's Task Force on Food Policy in Saint Paul. Amidei’s address was titled "The Politics of Food." Focus of speech was on the poor and hunger. Afterwards, there were follow-up responses by Cy Carpenter and Ruth Ann Wefald.
January 5, 1985 - On this Weekend program, St. Paul Mayor George Latimer and Robert Ebel, both members of Minnesota Tax Study Commission, discuss commission's recommendations to the governor and the 1985 legislature.
January 7, 1985 - As part of the American Prose Series, an interview with author and literary critic Doris Grumbach, who discusses her writing and reads from her books Chamber Music, Missing Person, and The Ladies.
January 12, 1985 - From 1982 to 1995, Bell served on the staff of the University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine, where he taught and did clinical research in comparative oncology.