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 17, 1998 - Midday presents Governor Arne Carlson's speaking to the Minnesota Business Partnership and higher education groups about his ideas to improve Minnesota's public schools. Carlson highlights the definition of the “American Dream.” Following broadcast of speech, MPR’s Gary Eichten gets reaction from Joe Nathan, director of the Center for School Change at the University of Minnesota.
April 16, 1998 - Tom DeLoughery, managing editor of Internet World Magazine, discusses the future of the internet. Topics include email, research, and the growth of commerce. DeLoughery also answers listener questions.
April 14, 1998 - MPR Senior Business and Economics Editor Chris Farrell, and State Senator Doug Johnson, who has chaired the Senate Tax Committee since 1980, discuss taxes and the political and financial trade-offs between "fairness" and "simplicity", as well as various proposals to change the tax system. Farrell and Johnson also answer listener questions.
April 13, 1998 - MPR political commentators Bob Meek and Tom Horner will be in the studio to assess the Wellstone Presidential bid, the governor's race and other political issues. Program begins with report from Mark Moran in Iowa.
April 13, 1998 - A special Talk of Minnesota call-in related to the Minnesota Citizens Forum on public financing of sports. Program begins with a report summary of forum; then MPR listener’s views are presented.
April 9, 1998 - Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, who also chairs the Seven County Rail Authority; and Art Leahy, general manager of the Metropolitan Council Transit Operations, discuss legislative passage of light rail project in the Twin Cities. McLaughlin and Leahy also answer listener questions.
April 8, 1998 - Joseph Daly, law professor at Hamline University, discusses progression of the tobacco trial in Minnesota. Daly outlines lawsuit that the State of Minnesota and Blue Cross have filed against the tobacco industry. Daly also answers listener questions.
April 7, 1998 - On this Midday, a broadcast of Theodore Shaw, associate director and counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund speaking at Annual National Conference of Education Writers Association, held in San Francisco. Shaw states the anti-affirmative action movement has misrepresented Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy.
April 7, 1998 - Ken Morris, president of the State Board of Education, discusses education and state's "Profile of Learning" graduation standards. Morris also answers listener questions.
April 6, 1998 - Midday presents a broadcast of Grand Forks Mayor Pat Owens speaking to St. Peter residents at First Lutheran Church. Owens empathizes with St. Peter’s tornado disaster by reflecting on the devastating flooding that impacted Grand Forks the prior year. Program then turns to Vincent Harding speech on Martin Luther King, presented as part of coverage on 30th anniversary of King’s assassination, and his legacy.