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.
July 19, 1993 - Midday’s Gary Eichten talks baseball with Mike Veeck, owner of the new Northern League baseball team, St. Paul Saints. The two discuss the Northern League, promoting, and players.
July 26, 1993 - Bioethics researcher Arthur Caplan shares his insights into the imbalance of drug testing being done with focus on male subjects and diseases.
August 2, 1993 - Minneapolis Mayor Don Fraser shares his view on welfare reform. While he supports welfare program to protect children and their health, he questions the logic of of providing welfare to single mothers as well. Fraser fears that it just fosters a cycle of poverty.
August 5, 1993 - On this Midday program, Walt Dziedzic and Judith Martin discuss the city of Minneapolis…it's past, present, and future. Topics include changes over the decades, including downtown business, diversity, transportation system, safety, schools, municipal finances, police, and tourism.
August 24, 1993 - Generation X author Michael Lee Cohen, stops by the MPR studios to discuss his book, The Twentysomething American Dream. Cohen discusses what he learned from his cross country tour interviewing members of the much maligned post-baby boom generation.
August 26, 1993 - Midday’s Gary Eichten hosts U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone live from the Minnesota State Fair. Wellstone answers audience and listener questions on health care, the economy, NAFTA, etc.
August 27, 1993 - Lester Collins, member of Council of Black Minnesotans, comments on Martin Luther King commemoration march. The event is titled "Jobs, Justice and Peace,” and held on the 30th anniversary of the March on Washington.
September 1, 1993 - A Midday program from the Minnesota State Fair, with political commentators Bob Meek and Tom Horner talking about the upcoming mayoral primaries, the new speaker designate of the Minnesota House, and pending debate on health care, and NAFTA.
September 2, 1993 - Irv Anderson, new speaker designate of the Minnesota House, discusses the future course of the DFL-controlled Minnesota legislature. Anderson also answers listener questions.
September 2, 1993 - Pat McGowan, a Minneapolis Police Department sergeant, shares his views on crime in the city of Minneapolis and what police and community efforts should be taken.