For many who have listened to the airwaves over the previous decades, Gary Eichten’s voice is synonymous to Minnesota Public Radio. The retired MPR News editor-at-large Eichten has worn many hats during his 40-plus-year career at MPR, including news director, special events producer, and station manager. He routinely 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!).
It all began on April Fool’s Day in 1967, when Eichten started his career at Minnesota Public Radio as a student announcer at Collegeville’s KSJR, MPR’s first station. He became the station’s one-man news department and quickly found that turning up his headphones forced him to speak more intimately, which gave him that radio voice.
In the fall of 1992, Eichten moved from hosting the regional late-afternoon edition of All Things Considered to hosting Midday. In his new role, Eichten personified the art of hosting, a tradition begun by the program’s previous host, Bob Potter. It also solidified Gary’s distinct tone and insightful questions that listeners came to hear as being MPR.
As Midday host, Eichten let his guests answer those questions and sought to understand their responses. With daily early morning research, his respectful but direct on-air style, and assistance from his long-time producer Sara Meyer, Eichten found himself making memorable radio…from a poignant sign-off of the original regional “All Things Considered,” a live on-air moment with a contentious Governor Ventura, to even a pledge drive.
Among the honors Eichten received during his MPR career is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Award for Best Local News Program and the prestigious 2011 Graven Award by the Premack Public Affairs Journalism Awards Board for his contribution to excellence in the journalism profession. He also assisted in the development of two Peabody award-winning documentaries. In 2007, Eichten was inducted into the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting's Hall of Fame.
Simply put, Mr. Eichten is a Minnesota treasure, on and off the air.
November 26, 1991 - A commentary that the Twin Cities have become more of an “indoor” city. Reasons behind the thought include the skyway system infrastructure and “snowbird” Minnesotans escaping to the south in the winter months.
November 26, 1991 - An unknown interviewee reflects on the sports life of Bob Johnson, a famous hockey player and coach, who passed away on November 26th, 1991. Johnson’s impact on the sport spanned decades and included high school, college, NHL, and Olympics.
December 31, 1991 - All Things Considered’s Gary Eichten completes a phone interview with Leonard Peltier, a Native American activist and a member of the American Indian Movement (AIM), who is in prison after first degree murder convictions in the deaths of two Federal Bureau of Investigation agents. Peltier states he did not kill them and speaks about appeals process.
January 1, 1992 - MPR’s Gary Eichten interviews former Minnesota U.S. Senator Eugene McCarthy, who discusses his 1992 presidential campaign.
January 3, 1992 - Minnesota labor activist Harry DeBoer is remembered by former union radical. De Boer was instrumental in the Minneapolis Teamsters Strike of 1934 and a leading member of the Socialist Workers Party.
January 6, 1992 - All Things Considered’s Gary Eichten talks with Gary Doty, newly-elected mayor of Duluth, on what he sees as important going into 1992. Topics of business, tourism, and city infrastructure are at the forefront.
January 8, 1992 - All Things Considered’s Gary Eichten interviews Nina Archabal, executive director of the Minnesota Historical Society, on organization’s court efforts to keep the Minneapolis Armory from demolition. Archabal speaks of the structure’s architectural and historical importance.
January 16, 1992 - Minneapolis Mayor Don Fraser shares details on his talks with President George Bush on commission to focus on families in U.S. cities, and how to help foster healthy environment and support for them.
January 17, 1992 - MPR’s Gary Eichten gets the scoop from Marilyn Nelson on the various pre-Super Bowl festivities. It is a true Minnesota winter affair. Activities include a “warm-up” aerobic workout outside the Metrodome that includes motions of shoveling snow, throwing snowballs, and pushing cars.
January 20, 1992 - Karal Ann Marling, professor of Art History and of American Studies at the University of Minnesota, chats with MPR’s Gary Eichten about St. Paul’s marketing coup with Winter Carnival taking place during run-up to Super Bowl being hosted in Minneapolis.