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.
February 18, 2011 - Midday presents A Prairie Home Companion host and creator Garrison Keillor speaking to an audience at Concordia University in St. Paul about the challenges he's had to face as a writer and how his upbringing has helped him deal with them.
January 26, 2011 - Minnesotans Al Eisele and Bill Frenzel, each with more than 40 years of participation in Washington politics and journalism, join Midday to discuss how Minnesota's power and influence has ebbed and flowed over the years.
December 23, 2010 - Midday’s Gary Eichten talks with former Republican U.S. Senator Dave Durenberger about landmark health care law signed by President Barack Obama earlier in 2010, and the push by some in Congress to already repeal the law. Durenberger also answers listener questions.
December 23, 2010 - Barack Obama signed a landmark healthcare overhaul into law back in March, but throughout the year the measure didn't appear to win the hearts and minds of Americans. Republicans seized on discomfort with the reforms to make significant gains in November's mid-term elections, and many of the Congressional winners have promised to push for repeal. A number of states are also fighting the law in courts. We discuss the reform, and the likelihood it will remain the law of the land. Guest: Dave Durenberger, former U.S. Senator.
November 26, 2010 - A Midday re-broadcast of "The Big Time: F. Scott Fitzgerald," a staged storytelling of F. Scott Fitzgerald's vision of making it big. The original MPR-commissioned production of words and music was written by Patricia Hampl, with music direction by Dan Chouinard, and features singer Blake Hazard, who is Fitzgerald's great-granddaughter.
November 18, 2010 - Nina Archabal, the outgoing director of the Minnesota Historical Society joins Midday to talk about why history is important, the role of museums, and how best to convey the story of Minnesota's people and places. Archabal departs her position at end of 2010.
November 8, 2010 - On this Midday program, MPR’s Cathy Wurzer speaks with Supreme Court Justice Alan Page.
October 22, 2010 - On this Midday call-in program, former Vice President Walter Mondale joins MPR’s Gary Eichten to take questions about his new political memoir, The Good Fight: A life in Liberal Politics. The book traces Mondale's career from a young Minnesota attorney general to Vice President. While personal, it's also the story of half a century of progressive politics.
October 21, 2010 - At a special Fitzgerald theater event, best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith joins Garrison Keillor on stage to talk about literature and the life of a writer.
October 18, 2010 - Writer and columnist Jim Klobuchar talks about the return of Brett Favre as quarterback and the Vikings chances for a Super Bowl victory.