Famously known as the first female co-host of a major news program, Barbara Jill Walters died at the age of 93 on Dec. 30, 2022 in Manhattan, New York while surrounded by family and friends. She is regarded as one of the most famous broadcast journalists and interviewers. 

Barbara was born on Sept. 25, 1929 in Boston, Massachusetts to her parents, Lou and Dena Walters. She attended Miami Beach Senior High School and went on to get her bachelor’s degree in English from Sarah Lawrence College. 

She then quickly began her career as a writer and producer on the Today show and eventually the first woman co-host on the Today show, and first female co-host of a major news program in the U.S.

Student journalist Naomi Lin ‘24 said, “I like how unapologetic she was. She was inspiring because females tend to be perceived as more emotional so changing those stereotypes is very encouraging for the future of female journalists”

Subsequently, she moved onto hosting ABC’s 20/20 for 25 years, until creating her own daytime talk show The View, where she interviewed people of differing generations, backgrounds, and views. 

Throughout her career, which spanned more than 60 years, Walters created some of the most important interviews. Her intimacy and thoroughness was something unique about her interviews.

Walters was known for asking the questions no one else would because they were impolite or hard to ask.

“She really paved the way for lots of young female journalists and she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind,” said student journalist Deanie Cooper ’24.

Nonetheless, she always did so much research, it seemed as though she knew more about the interviewee than they knew about themselves.

She was good at listening, and rather than asking questions, she made the interviews feel like a conversation.

Walters was known for her hard work and competitiveness, but her legacy will undoubtedly affect all women journalists.

And as CNN put it, “She was a trailblazer not only for female journalists but for all women.”