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Melissa Harris-Perry: You're listening to The Takeaway. I'm Melissa Harris-Perry. As the world prepared to say goodbye to 2022, we also bid farewell to Barbara Walters, the trailblazing television news broadcaster who died on December 30th at 93 years old. Barbara Walters was on air for more than half a century and was a daily TV presence in many American households.
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Announcer: Tonight on The Barbara Walters Special.
Hugh Downs: Good evening, I'm Hugh Downs.
Barbara Walters: I'm Barbara Walters and this is 20/20.
Melissa Harris-Perry: She's been called an intrepid journalist, interviewer of the stars, and she was a pioneer for women who broke barriers in the male-dominated news industry. She started her career first behind the camera as the only woman writer and producer for NBC's Today show back in 1961. She eventually made her way to the front of the camera, reporting on fashion pieces and doing commercials. In 1971, she became the Today show's first female co-host, although she wasn't officially given that title until '74. In 1976, Walters moved on over to ABC, where she became the first woman co-anchor of the network evening broadcast.
Announcer: Harry Reasoner, Barbara Walters bring you the news.
Harry Reasoner: I have a new colleague to welcome. Barbara?
Barbara Walters: Thank you, Harry.
Melissa Harris-Perry: Walters faced sexism and said that her time at ABC was miserable because of her co-anchor, Harry Reasoner. She went on to co-host ABC's 20/20 for 25 years. Throughout her career, she interviewed prominent world leaders, including Vladimir Putin and Fidel Castro, Nixon, and every American president up to President Barack Obama, and was also well-known for her celebrity interviews. Walters was famous for her interview style and her blunt direct questions.
Barbara Walters: Was it worth it if there were no weapons of mass destruction? Now, Watergate will be debated. Vietnam will be debated for many years to come, but Watergate, Mr. Nixon, was you. When you see how Americans today distrust their leaders, when you see cynicism instead of hope and instead of will, don't you feel responsible? Governor, many people find the thought of you as president a little scary. You hear, "Oh, she's very charming, but she's uninformed." Would you like to tell us what newspapers, magazines, or books you were reading right now?
Melissa Harris-Perry: In 1997, she created the daytime talk show, The View, and co-hosted it until she retired in 2014. On her last show, Oprah Winfrey and her co-host paid tribute to Walters' legacy.
Oprah Winfrey: Many of the incredible women that have been influenced by you, and we all have been influenced by you, are here for you today. We all proudly stand on your shoulders, Barbara Walters, as we honor you. Please welcome Diane Sawyer, Robin Roberts, Lara Spencer, Elizabeth Vargas, Amy Robach, Deborah Roberts, Juju Chang, Katie Couric.
Melissa Harris-Perry: The list went on. In a 2014 ABC special commemorating her career, Walters was asked how she wanted to be remembered.
Barbara Walters: I want to be remembered by my daughter as a good and loving mother. I want to be remembered by my friends as somebody who was loyal. I want to be remembered in television maybe as a creator, maybe as a good newswoman. No, more than being remembered, I hope that by younger women, I can help them aspire.
Melissa Harris-Perry: For all of that, Barbara Walters will be remembered.
Barbara Walters: When women tell me that they entered the field of journalism or went to school to study it because of me, that's my legacy. That makes me very proud. That's last.
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