Rumor on the talk show street is that Barbara Walters will be making her final TV appearance in May 2014. ABC’s daytime talk show, “The View,” will make a formal announcement this May, various sources have reported. Walters, 83, has battled numerous health issues during the past few years, including heart surgery in 2010.
When Walters retires, it will be the end of an era. She has paved the way for women journalists ever since she started her career as an anchor on the “Today” show.
Although I am not an avid follower of “The View,” I am a fan of all Walters has done for female journalists. She has been a co-host on the show since its creation in 1997. How will “The View” continue without her?
Walters has never been one to shy away from the personal and hard-to-answer questions. She has always spoken with power and grace – no sass or jokes, like her co-hosts. “The View” has seen its fair share of co-host arguments, but Walters always seems to keep her cool – a true characteristic of a seasoned journalist.
Walters has been an anchor at the “Today” show, ABC evening news and “20/20.” As an aspiring journalist myself, I admire the way Walters portrays herself as an intelligent woman. She’s not in it for the fame or to get laughs out of the audience. She is truly fulfilling the job of a journalist and asking the important questions.
I think that’s what makes a show like “The View” so unique. Each woman offers a different viewpoint. There’s fun, sass, critics and gossip, and Walters has always been the rock that ties it all together. It will be interesting to see if a younger generation will be able to take over a show such as “The View.”