This past week was a crazy one. I was assigned to two stories - veterans' hospitals and psychic CSIs. While I was researching, logging and transcribing non-stop for those pieces, I was also doing a little homework for my up-coming debut as a producer for Barbara Walter's 25th Anniversary show in September.
In January of 2004, Barbara Walters announced she will retire from 20/20 in late September. This announcement signaled the end of an era in 20/20 history. Barbara Walters has anchored 20/20 since its inception and has practically single-handedly crafted the News Magazine to what it is today. With that in mind, a team of 20/20 executives and producers have dedicated themselves to compiling a memorable final show for Ms. Walters, of which I am privileged to be a part. Production for the September air has just begun, but there are hundreds of highlights and clips to collect and interviews to choose from Walters' outstanding career.
Last week a fellow intern and I discovered that we were being assigned to assist on the final Barbara Walters' piece that will ever air on 20/20. The anniversary show, which will be an hour long broadcast, is broken down into five segments, ours being the last minutes of the final act in which Barbara Walters will ever take part. The excitement that swept over me upon hearing this news quickly dissipated as I realized the magnitude of our task. Although I am not allowed to disclose any of the details of the anniversary broadcast, I can assure you that it will be a heartfelt and poignant farewell to an icon of journalism.
