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.
November 11, 1974 - A member of group supporting POWs states they are going to Washington to honor all veteran's on Veteran's Day and would like President Ford to be honest regarding the return of POWs.
November 9, 1974 - Minnesota Secretary of State Arlen Erdahl, a Republican and former Minnesota state representative, discusses recent shifts in power in state legislature, resulting in a Democratic majority. Erdahl outlines what Republicans need to do to return to prominence.
November 8, 1974 - Secretary of State Arlen Erdahl, a Republican and former Minnesota state representative, discusses loss in 1974 election and how changes to election law in Minnesota in waning years of Nixon fallout may or may not have affected Republican fortunes in state and national elections.
November 5, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eicthen talks with Phil Getts, deputy director of the Minnesota Energy Agency, about heating prices going up due to potential coal shortage. Getz states that utility companies will have to switch over to oil as a coal strike looms on the horizon.
November 4, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on Reverend Jesse Jackson’s visit to the Twin Cities. In a speech, Jackson says local inner city shopping complex project is evidence of what can be done when people want something bad enough.
November 4, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on civil rights & political activist Jesse Jackson’s visit to the Twin Cities for a groundbreaking on an inner city shopping complex, one of first in country conceived and developed by minorities. Jackson is president of group called PUSH (People United to Save Humanity), which encourages minority business ownership.
October 9, 1974 - U.S. Senator Eugene McCarthy reacts to speech by President Gerald Ford in his own short speech on office of U.S. presidency and American democracy.
October 3, 1974 - Graham Watt, director of the Federal Office of Revenue Sharing, discusses possible, yet at the time unknown, cuts and/or reduction of expenditures to 1975 or 1976 federal budgets to alleviate concerns of inflation. Concerns from local and state governments regarding federal moneys and potential losses to revenue sharing are also discussed.
September 19, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on comments from Bruce McLaury, president of the Brookings institution, who makes suggestions to combat inflation at an economic summit meeting during the Ford Administration.
September 13, 1974 - Midday presents a profile of Alfred Adler Institute and Adlerian psychology. MPR’s Gary Eichten interviews Ruth Katz and Bob Bartholow, instructors at the Adler Institute, about institute programs designed to teach Adlerian psychology.