Created in 1987, Mainstreet Radio held a mission of reporting specifically from rural Minnesota to all of Minnesota. With an introductory staff of Rachel Reabe, Leif Enger, and John Biewen, the group developed both long and short form news features as part of MPR Journal and Morning Edition broadcasts. As the years progressed, Mainstreet Radio expanded both in reporter contributions and programming, with memorable work from the likes of Mark Steil and Catherine Winter, amongst others. Beginning in the 1990s, Mainstreet Radio presented a monthly two-hour special, focusing on issues outside the Twin Cities metro. The varied Mainstreet Radio programming ran into the mid-2000s.
Mainstreet Radio presented a breadth of topics, providing an avenue for individuals from all walks of life to be heard. These efforts garnered numerous journalistic awards, including 65 national and regional awards in its first 10 years (1987-97).
Award-winning material in “special programs,” “series,” or “documentary” categories include Meth in Minnesota; Against the Grain; Dancing on Beat: Portrait of a Reservation Family; After the Flood; An Education in Diversity; Rekindling the Spirit: The Rebirth of American Indian Spirituality; Wilderness Truce: Ely 10 Years Later; Making the Grade: Rural schools the work; The Rural School Challenge; Broken Trust: Civil Rights in Indian Country; Gold: New Prospects on the Iron Range; and Articles of Faith.
Award-winning material in the category of “reporting” include Frog Music; Pumpkinland; Four Winds Treatment Center; Deer Hunting Weekend; Border Check for Poachers; Mille Lacs Fishing Launch; Loon Habitat; House Call Doctor; Geritol Frolics; Cartwright's Calendar; Ice-Fishing on Mille Lacs; Mercury Fillets; and A Place for the Wolf.
October 17, 1988 - Midday presents a special Mainstreet Radio documentary, entitled “Migrant Farm Workers.” The documentary profiles migrant farm workers in St. James who came to Minnesota, and wound up staying here. Following the documentary, Jose Trejo, executive director of the Spanish Speaking Affairs Council, answers listener questions about issues facing Hispanics in Minnesota.
January 12, 1989 - Midday presents a special Mainstreet Radio documentary on religion in Minnesota, entitled “Articles of Faith.” Highlighted are a Central Minnesota German Catholic community in Pierz-Lastrup, Mennonites in Mountain Lake, a Jewish family in Fergus Falls, and a non-believer who nevertheless attends a small town church.
January 20, 1989 - Mainstreet Radio’s Leif Enger visits some fish house residents on Lake Mille Lacs and finds that there is much more to the experience of ice fishing than the fish.
February 10, 1989 - On this Midday program, a presentation of a Mainstreet Radio documentary on rural homelessness. There are people in rural Minnesota who can't afford to put a roof over their heads and advocates for the poor say rural homelessness is a growing problem.
May 9, 1989 - Mainstreet Radio’s Leif Enger reports on the concern over contaminants such as mercury, PCBs, and dioxin in northern Minnesota fish. Some are concerned that the contaminated fish might cause a decrease in fishing and tourism, but others said there are simply nothing to worry about.
May 15, 1989 - Mainstreet Radio’s Rachel Reabe interviews Milton Raske, a resident of Pillager, Minnesota, on his astrological gardening system. He has been planting vegetables for decades based on astrological signs. Agricultural officials do not support moon planting as it is not supported by science, but that doesn’t stop Raske.
September 8, 1989 - Mainstreet Radio’s John Biewen presents the documentary “Dancing on Beat: Portrait of a Reservation Family,” which follows the daily life of an Ojibwe family on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota.
September 8, 1989 - Mainstreet Radio’s John Biewen presents the documentary “Dancing on Beat: Portrait of a Reservation Family,” which follows the daily life of an Ojibwe family on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota. Following documentary, Midday’s Bob Potter interviews Mike Bongo, director of American Indian OIC in Minneapolis, about his thoughts about documentary.
November 7, 1989 - As part of the Mainstreet Radio series “Rural Health Care,” John Biewen looks at the struggle to get doctors in rural Minnesota. Biewen interviews numerous medical professionals about the issue.
November 8, 1989 - As part of the Mainstreet Radio series “Rural Health Care,” Rachel Raebe visits Browerville, Minnesota to see how town is coping after losing its hospital. Only an empty building remains.