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 1, 2008 - Midday remembers Ralph Rapson, the prolific architect and dean of the Architecture School at the University of Minnesota, who died on March 29th, 2008. Rapson may be best known for designing the first Guthrie Theater in downtown Minneapolis.
March 13, 2008 - St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman joins Midday to discuss the challenges facing his city, and the achievements that have been made in the past year. Coleman also answers listener questions.
March 12, 2008 - Midday presents recording of prominent Minnesotans sharing stories about Minnesota during a story telling event put on by the 2008 Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission. Mark Seeley, University of Minnesota Climatologist; Carl Eller, professional football hall of famer; Al Quie, former Minnesota Governor; Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Senator (D-MN), and more gathered to wax Minnesota during a story telling event put on by the 2008 Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission.
March 6, 2008 - R.T. Rybak, mayor of Minneapolis, discusses crime and the economy with Midday host Gary Eichten. Other topics include bridge collapse and city initiatives. Rybak also answers listener questions.
March 4, 2008 - Members of the Minnesota 8, anti-war activists who were sentenced to prison for destroying draft files during the Vietnam War, join Midday to discuss their story, which is the subject of a play at the History Theater, titled Peace Crimes: The Minnesota 8. The two guests, Bill Tilton and Frank Kroncke, also answer listener questions.
January 24, 2008 - MPR's Gary Eichten interviews Louis Johnston, an economics professor at St. John's University and the College of St. Benedict, to discuss the tumultuous economy. Eichten also talks to MPR’s chief economics correspondent Chris Farrell to analyze the situation.
January 23, 2008 - Midday broadcasts a panel discussion with some of Minnesota's prominent Republicans and others at The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute. The topic the is state of the Republican party and how the current political landscape is shaping the character of conservativism.
January 23, 2008 - Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Al Franken takes listener questions for Midday's "Meet the Candidates" series. Franken, 55, was born in New York City, but grew up in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.
January 7, 2008 - Walter Mondale, former vice president, U.S. senator, ambassador to Japan, and presidential nominee in 1984, celebrates 80 years and looks to the future. Mondale chats with Midday host Gary Eichten on various topics.
December 25, 2007 - Truman Capote reads his story "A Christmas Memory," Garrison Keillor does a Christmas "News from Lake Wobegon," and Dan Olson reads the famous 1897 New York Sun Christmas letter "Is there a Santa Claus."