(…Updated) TVMusic Network remembers Barbara Walters, a news pioneer and creator of ABC’s long-running news program “The View,” has died. Walters retired from the show in 2014 but remained an executive producer on the show.
Walters first became known as a television personality in the early 1960s, when she was a writer and segment producer of “women’s interest stories” on the NBC News morning program The Today Show, where she began work with host Hugh Downs. As a result of her outstanding interviewing ability and her popularity with viewers, she received more airtime on the program. In 1974, Walters became co-host of the program, the first woman to hold such a title on an American news program.
In 1976, continuing as a pioneer for women in broadcasting, she became the first female co-anchor of a network evening news, working with Harry Reasoner on the ABC Evening News.
From 1979 to 2004, she worked as co-host and a producer for the ABC newsmagazine 20/20 and would later create executive produce and co-host “The View,” which she co-hosted for 16b seasons.
Many who knew her are paying tribute to her life and career on social media, including Oprah Winfrey:
A statement about Barbara was released by Disney CEO Bob Iger. Read it below.
NEW: Bob Iger remembers Barbara Walters: “Barbara was a true legend, a pioneer not just for women in journalism but for journalism itself.” https://t.co/PsF0RWN0yD pic.twitter.com/IAeU76Oqju
— ABC News (@ABC) December 31, 2022
