IWMF Remembers Pioneering Journalist Barbara Walters

The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) is mourning the loss of Barbara Walters, whose five decades as a broadcast journalist helped to pave the way for women in news media globally.

In 1992, Walters was the inaugural recipient of the IWMF’s Lifetime Achievement Award and was honored for her talent as an interviewer, anchor and host operating deftly in a field dominated by men. Thirty years on, her legacy includes not only her work on camera, but also her commitment to uplifting fellow women journalists.

When retiring in 2014, Walters reflected on her career saying, “How proud when I see all the young women who are making and reporting the news. If I did anything to help make that happen, that is my legacy” (CNN).

Our thoughts are with Walters’ loved ones during this time of mourning. Though we are saddened by the loss of a trailblazer, we have no doubt that Walters’ spirit lives on through the work of women journalists who bring us the truth, hold global power to account and never back down from the tough questions.