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.
March 29, 1999 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from lobby of Nicollet Hotel in St Peter. Rachel Reabe hosts a discussion on tornados and weather with Rich Naistat, of the National Weather Service; Mark Seeley, of the U of M and MPR; and Paul Douglas, of WCCO-TV.
April 2, 1999 - A Chautauqua Lecture by Trudee Able-Peterson-Hoefler, an internationally known advocate for street kids. She is a North Dakota native, who moved to Minneapolis where she worked as a prostitute, and ended up in New York City where she turned her life around. She is the author of two books, Children of the Evening and Children of the Street.
April 7, 1999 - Minnesota's U.S. Senators Paul Wellstone and Rod Grams, give the annual Frank Premack Lecture sponsored by the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Minnesota Journalism Center.
April 14, 1999 - Governor Jesse Ventura visits the MPR studios to talk about his first 100 days in office and answer listener questions.
April 16, 1999 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from Rochester on senior citizens and Minnesota's long-term care system. In this hour, Rachel Reabe hosts a discussion about nursing home alternatives with Connie Bagley, director of the Southeastern Minnesota Area Agency on Aging; Hal Freshley, of the Minnesota Board of Aging; and Dr. Ken Hepburn, director of Geriatrics programs at Department of Family Practice at University of Minnesota.
April 16, 1999 - A Mainstreet Radio special broadcast from Rochester on senior citizens and Minnesota's long-term care system. In this hour, Rachel Reabe hosts a discussion about nursing home challenges in Rochester with Dr. Kevin Fleming, a geriatrician at the Mayo Clinic; Sheila Kiskaden, a state senator; and Mark Casperson, executive director of Samaritan Bethany Heights Nursing Home.
April 26, 1999 - Broadcast of Czech President Vaclac Havel's speech at Macalester College Monday morning. He will receive honorary degrees from Macalester and from the University of St. Thomas at this event. His speech is titled, "Toward a Civil Society."
April 27, 1999 - Janet Yellen, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, addresses the Minnesota Meeting. Yellen's speech was titled, "The Baby Boom Retires: How the Coming 'Age Wave' Will Transform America and the World--And What We Can Do About it Now." Minnesota Meeting is a non-profit corporation which hosts a wide range of public speakers. It is managed by the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota.
April 30, 1999 - The April edition of Voices of Minnesota celebrates the 100th birthday of jazz musician Duke Ellington. MPR's Dan Olson interviews Macalester College music professor Robert Leigh Morris and Terry Gross interviews Duke Ellington's son Mercer.
May 3, 1999 - Midday presents a Mainstreet Radio special report "Hidden Rainbow: The Changing Face of Minnesota." Program presents a series of reports on the state's growing minority population in outstate Minnesota.