December 19, 1986 - The first part of program presents a rebroadcast of Stephen Smith’s documentary report "Shelter for the Night," which examines the plight of the homeless over a period of 12 hours in the St. Stephen's Emergency Shelter. Following documentary, Nancy Nagler, chair of St. Paul Area Coalition for the Homeless, discusses the homeless problem in Minnesota and what can be done about it. Nagler also answers listener questions.
January 2, 1987 - Midday presents the Public Policy Unit documentary "Dropouts: Falling off the Bottom Rung." MPR’s Stephen Smith, Bill Catlin, and Dan Olson create a collaborative report on Minnesota high school dropouts.
February 17, 1987 - Part 2 of the C.B.C. documentary "Amerika behind the scenes."
May 10, 1987 - Midday presents the documentary “Williams Pipeline Under Fire: The South Dakota Story,” which looks into gasoline leaks and spills, as well as information about other unsafe and possibly illegal activities at Williams Pipeline Companies Sioux Falls, South Dakota terminal.
July 25, 1987 -
August 14, 1987 -
September 28, 1987 - MPR Journal presents the documentary “A Visit to Atwater.” The farm crisis of the early 1980s has taken a toll on small towns. MPR reporters Dan Olson and Stephen Smith spent some time in the West Central Minnesota farm town of Atwater to see how one small community is faring, and what the future may hold.
November 18, 1987 - An audio tour of the Mississippi River with naturalist Kathy Heidel.
December 26, 1987 - On this Weekend program, a sound and music portrait of Fiji. A wide array of sounds is presented, from Christmas carols, traditions of the Hindu New Year celebration, cannibals, and government-mandated observation of the Sabbath.
January 2, 1988 - MPR's Mainstreet Radio team presents a documentary entitled Against the Grain, which collects conversations with rural Minnesotans about how they are adapting to the forces of economic change.