Barbara Walters Documentary Explores Journalism Legacy, Personal Life

Barbara Walters was a pioneering broadcast journalist who broke significant gender barriers in television, becoming the first American woman to co-anchor a network evening news program and earning a then-staggering salary of $1 million per year. Her career highlights include a historic 1977 joint interview with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, which demonstrated her tenacity and skill, and the launch of influential programs such as 20/20 and The View. Despite her professional success, Walters faced personal challenges, including a complex family dynamic shaped by her older sister's undiagnosed disability and her parents' tumultuous financial ups and downs. Walters' upbringing involved a sense of responsibility and tension, as her father, Lou Walters, was a nightclub manager and entertainer who experienced multiple financial fluctuations, while her mother, Dena, was primarily a caregiver. A new Hulu documentary, "Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything," explores her groundbreaking career and personal life, highlighting both her impact on journalism and her compelling romantic history. Walters' legacy includes changing the landscape of news coverage and revealing the power of exclusive interviews with notable figures.