Iconic journalist Barbara Walters dies at 93

Barbara Walters, the intrepid interviewer, host and television show host who was the first woman to become a newscast superstar during a career exceptional in its length and variety, has passed away. She was 93 years old.

ABC television interrupted its programming to announce Walters’ death on Friday night.

“He lived his life with no regrets. She was a trailblazer not just for journalists but for all women,” her publicist Cindi Berger said in a statement that said Walters died peacefully at her New York home.

An ABC spokesperson had no immediate comment Friday beyond sharing the statement from Bob Iger, the CEO of the network’s parent company, The Walt Disney Company.

“Barbara was a true legend, a trailblazer not just for women in journalism but for journalism itself,” Iger said.

During her nearly four decades at ABC, and earlier at NBC, exclusive interviews with rulers such as Cuba’s Fidel Castro, royals, and entertainers gave her celebrity status on par with those, while placing her at the forefront of of the trend that turned television reporters into stars.

Late in his career, he put a new spin on infotainment with The view, a live kaffee klatsch broadcast on ABC on weekdays in which a group of female hosts dealt with all sorts of issues and hosted guests ranging from world leaders to teen idols. With that adventure and unexpected success, Walters considered The view as the “cherry” of his career.

A program statement said Walters created The view in 1997 “to defend the voices of women”.

“We are proud to be a part of his legacy,” the note added.

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