Barbara Walters (1929- )

by Christopher Peterson

Today, I want to begin the discussion of more contemporary journalists with one of the most popular women still working today, Barbara Walters. In her youth, Walters became accustomed to meeting celebrities—her father was a Broadway producer and the Entertainment Director of a Las Vegas casino. She credits this contact with her calmness and poise around prominent figures that allows her to conduct her famous interviews. She attended prestigious private schools in New York City and later earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Sarah Lawrence College. Immediately after college, Walters began a career as a publicist before securing as position as a CBS News writer. She quickly became a writer and researcher for The Today Show at NBC. Even in the 1960s, Walters says that she had difficulties because of her gender. The Today Show eventually allowed her to report lighter news but refused to give her more “hard news” assignments, claiming that audiences did not take women as seriously. After a year, Walters began conducting her own reports and interviews, laying the foundation for her reputation as a formidable journalist. When the show hired Frank McGee as a host, however, he refused to recognize Walters as a co-host and insisted that he ask questions first during interviews. NBC officially declared Walters the show’s first female co-host in 1974, after McGee’s death. Walters again faced complications in 1976, when she became a co-anchor on ABC Evening News. Her partner on the show, Harry Reasoner, held a thinly veiled disdain for Walters, due partly to her sex and partly to her mere presence. In 1979, Walters began a 25-year tenure with ABC’s 20/20, the program that made her famous. On the show, Walters continued conducting the emotional and probing interviews that earned her attention even on The Today Show. She now possesses a reputation for identifying the most important issues in an interviewee’s life and obtaining information that others have overlooked. While some criticize her for asking “softball” questions, these inquiries generally carry a significant emotional undertone, prompting the interviewee to discuss sensitive information. Throughout her career on 20/20 and on her Barbara Walters Specials, she spoke with some of the most intriguing figures around the world, including former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, former Egyptian President Anwar Al Sadat, and Monica Lewinsky. Walters continues to serve as an inspiration for women around the world and a proponent of women’s issues and concerns as a co-host on The View. The show, which Walters co-created, aims to bring together women from various generations, cultures, and backgrounds to discuss current events and pressing matters.