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.
March 4, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on Minnesota State Senator Allan Spear's no-fault divorce bill. Spear sees it as is a compromise measure, which only deals with grounds for divorce. Traditional grounds replaced by "irretrievable breakdown of marriage" and other terms also changed.
March 2, 1974 - Minnesota legislator Allan Spear details the three things no-fault divorce bill does…changes terminology (words have less of a fault connotation than traditional terms); removes requirement for corroborating witnesses; and removes current grounds for divorce (substitutes single ground, irretrievable breakdown of marriage relationship).
March 1, 1974 - With the U.S. Supreme Court Miller v. California decision leaving communities to determine what is and is not obscene, MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on the Minnesota Supreme Court decision on obscenity standards, guidelines, and how this will affect pornography business.
February 27, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on caucus results in relation to abortion rights debate.
February 6, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on Minnesota State Senate vote against the “Ban the Can” bill. In debate before the vote, bill author Win Borden stated he wants an environmental rights bill to address jobs lost due to environmental protection measures; Senator Arnie Ulland claimed the bill is discriminatory as it doesn’t mention wine or whiskey bottlers or out-of-state suppliers; and Senator Robert North remarked that despite talk about cleaning up the environment and saving natural resources, no action is taken and all we get is rhetoric.
February 1, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on criticism over the U.S. government efforts in supporting Vietnam vets. Topics include concerns on education, jobs, and medical care. Eichten interviews Tom Windseck, director of Veteran’s Affairs at the University of Minnesota; Frank Momson, state adjutant of American Legion; and John O’Neill of the VFW.
January 16, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on Minnesota Governor Wendell Anderson’s State of the State address, with the "energy crisis" being Anderson’s highest priority and support for a separate Department of Energy to address this issue. He also supports the federal 55 MPH bill to save on gasoline usage and Campaign finance reform.
January 4, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on efforts by some residents in the city of Monticello to get community to not smoke. It has been named the ‘D-Day’ campaign.
January 3, 1974 - MPR’s Gary Eichten reports on results of Crime Commission report and interviews Douglas Heidenreich, a member of committee that put study together. Heidenreich details the study’s purpose.
October 13, 1969 - Events, Issues and Ideas program, with news reporting on Richard Nixon's response to protesting and demonstrations, Bill Tilton and student protests, amongst other news topics.