COUNTRY OF BIRTH

United States

INDUSTRY

Journalism

TOP ACHIEVEMENTS

Barbara Walters is an American broadcast journalist, television personality and acclaimed author. Walters is best known for excellent hosting several television shows including The View, Today and 20/20. She was also co-host to the ABC Evening News. As the first female television personality to make an impact in the media world, Walters is an inspiration to all women hopeful of entering into television. She has an exceptional ability to interview and has been immensely popular with viewers through the years.

Paving the way for Women in Broadcasting

The first time Barbara Walters appeared on television was when she worked with Hugh Downs on The Today Show. Because of her popularity, she started getting more time on air and soon became an integral part of the show. But because of her gender, Walters was still not given any input in choosing a successor when Downs stepped down. Frank McGee was appointed to work with Walters and in 1974 she was finally given the title of ‘co-host’. This was the first time in the history of television that a woman was given this title on any public affairs or news program. Despite the title and the shared responsibilities, Walters’ salary was still half of what McGee was earning until his death that year. In 1976 Walters became the first woman to co-anchor the evening news when she started working with Harry Reasoner on the ABC Evening News.

Motivational Writing

After Walters wrote an article giving tips to people who get tongue-tied in social situations for a magazine in the late 1960s, she was asked by Doubleday to turn it into a book. The idea behind the article and the book was to help people who were socially awkward. The book was named ‘How to Talk with Practically Anybody about Practically Anything’ and was released in 1970. Nearly four decades later the book had sold hundreds of thousands of copies around the world, achieved its eighth printing and had been translated into six languages.

Barbara Walters’ Legacy

In 1989 Barbara Walters was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. In 2007 she was awarded with a start on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2009 Disney honored Walters with a Legends award and she received the New York Women’s Agenda Lifetime Achievement Award. Walters has also won several Prime Time and Day Time Emmy Awards, a GLAAD Excellence in Media award and the Women in Film Crystal and Lucy Award. The Lucy award is given in recognition of the excellent work that Walters has done to improve the perception of women through television.