Walters’ publicist confirmed to Variety that the TV icon died on Friday evening at her New York home.
Walter was one of the pioneer female faces on American TV news.
Starting her career as a publicist and TV writer, she began working for the NBC’s “Today” show in 1961. She afterwards became the first female co-host of the same program in 1974.
She proceeded to the American Broadcasting Company in 1976 where she spent the most years of her career.
Soon after joining the ABC News, Walters made history as the first female co-anchor of an American network evening news programme, the ABC Evening News, which she co-hosted with Harry Reasoner.
Barbara was also the creator of the popular political talk show, The View, on which she appeared from 1997 till she retired in 2014.
Twenty-five years after starting her career, she was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1989.
On her retirement, a part of ABC News’ Headquarters in New York was renamed “The Barbara Walters Building” in May 2014.
Robert Iger, CEO of Walt Disney, the parent company of ABC News, lauded Walters for her legendary career.
“Barbara was a true legend, a pioneer not just for women in journalism but for journalism itself,” he wrote in a statement shared via Twitter on Saturday.
“She was a one-of-a-kind reporter who landed many of the most important interviews of our time, from heads of state to the biggest celebrities and sports icons.
“I had the pleasure of calling Barbara a colleague for more than three decades, but more importantly, I was able to call her a dear friend. She will be missed by all of us at The Walt Disney Company, and we send our deepest condolences to her daughter, Jacqueline,” he added.
