MPR News editor-at-large and retired host Gary Eichten has worn many hats during his 40-plus-year career at Minnesota Public Radio, including news director, special events producer and station manager. He has served as host for Minnesota Public Radio's live, special events news coverage, and has hosted all of the major news programs on Minnesota Public Radio, including Midday, which he hosted for more than 20 years.
A graduate of St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota, Eichten began his career at Minnesota Public Radio as a student announcer at KSJR (Minnesota Public Radio'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, he was inducted into the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting's Hall of Fame. Eichten has also been awarded the prestigious 2011 Graven Award by the Premack Public Affairs Journalism Awards Board for his contribution to excellence in the journalism profession.
April 29, 1996 - Jerrold Peterson, economist at University of Minnesota-Duluth, discusses the state of economy in northern Minnesota with the decline of mining operations in the region as a major employer.
April 26, 1996 - Midday presents Rockin The Boat, a PRI documentary on South Africa's journey from apartheid to democracy. In 1994, South Africa held its first all-race multi-party elections, putting an end to decades of minority rule. This program traces South Africa's path through the apartheid years with the voices of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Johnny Clegg, and more.
April 25, 1996 - Midday presents a live broadcast of the Westminster Town Hall Forum, featuring author and Washington Post editorialist Juan Williams. Williams talks about the absence of the issue of race in presidential politics.
April 24, 1996 - Midday broadcasts a speech by Dr. Susan Love, author of Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book and director of the Revlon/UCLA Breast Center, delivered in the Twin Cities at a conference on breast cancer sponsored by the University of Minnesota Center for Biomedical Ethics.
April 23, 1996 - Midday presents a live broadcast from the National Press Club featuring Charles Lewis, executive director of the Center for Public Integrity. Lewis recently authored a report called "Under the Influence: The 1996 Presidential Candidates and Their Campaign Advisors."
April 19, 1996 - Midday presents Delano Lewis, president of National Public Radio, speaking at Minnesota Meeting held at Hilton in downtown Minneapolis. Lewis’s address was titled “Open Access: Moving All America Into the Information Age.” He also discusses funding and preservation of public broadcasting. After speech, Lewis answers audience questions.
April 18, 1996 - Midday discusses infectious diseases and the updates the latest information about the Ebola virus, TB (Tuberculosis), BSE (mad cow disease), meningitis, influenza, AIDS, and other diseases with guest Michael Osterholm, a state epidemiologist. Listeners call in with questions.
April 17, 1996 - Al Harris, Hennepin County prosecutor; and Loretta Fredricks, legal counsel for the Battered Women's Justice Project, discuss how the legal system works in domestic abuse cases. They also talk about statistics and definition of abuse. Harris and Fredricks also answer listener questions.
April 12, 1996 - Midday presents "Renewing the Social Contract,” a special three-hour program that looks at the issue of economic insecurity across the country as society moves into the information age.
April 11, 1996 - Midday presents a call-in program in connection with special series The Economic War among the States. Guests Art Rolnick, member of the Federal Reserve; and Jay Novak, commissioner of Trade and Economic Development, share their views and answer listener questions.