History of The View (talk show) in Timeline
The View, created by Barbara Walters, is a long-running American talk show that premiered on ABC in 1997. Now in its 27th season, the show features a diverse panel of women from different generations who engage in discussions on current events, news, and entertainment. The show's format includes both conversational segments amongst the panel and interviews with notable figures from politics, entertainment, and other fields. Originally filmed at ABC Television Studio 23, The View moved production to ABC Broadcast Center in New York City in 2014.
August 11, 1997: "The View" Premieres
"The View" first aired on ABC as part of the network's daytime programming block on August 11, 1997.
1997: Premiere and Awards Recognition
Since its debut in 1997, "The View" has been recognized with various awards and honors, including 30 Daytime Emmy Awards as of 2017.
December 1998: Debbie Matenopoulos Fired from "The View"
Debbie Matenopoulos was fired from "The View" in December 1998.
1999: Lisa Ling Joins "The View"
Lisa Ling joined "The View" as a new co-host in 1999, replacing Debbie Matenopoulos.
2001: "Genius bit of television"
In 2001, James Wolcott, in a Vanity Fair profile of Barbara Walters, described The View as a "genius bit of television."
December 2002: Lisa Ling Departs "The View"
Lisa Ling left "The View" in December 2002 to host "National Geographic Explorer".
November 24, 2003: Elisabeth Hasselbeck Joins "The View"
Elisabeth Hasselbeck joined "The View" on November 24, 2003, replacing Lisa Ling after a week-long on-air tryout against Rachel Campos-Duffy and Erin Hershey Presley.
April 2006: Meredith Vieira and Star Jones Leave "The View"
Meredith Vieira left "The View" to co-anchor NBC's "Today". Star Jones also announced her departure this month but was subsequently removed from the show early amidst controversy and claims of betrayal.
April 2006: Rosie O'Donnell Joins "The View"
Rosie O'Donnell joined "The View" as co-host for its tenth season.
2006: Star Jones Departs From The View
Star Jones left The View in 2006, marking her departure from the show.
April 2007: Rosie O'Donnell Exits "The View"
Rosie O'Donnell left "The View" after her contract was not renewed.
May 17, 2007: Rosie O'Donnell Controversy Over Iraq War Comments
On May 17, 2007, Rosie O'Donnell sparked controversy by questioning who the terrorists were in the Iraq War, leading to accusations of equating American soldiers with terrorists.
August 2007: Whoopi Goldberg Joins "The View"
Whoopi Goldberg replaced Rosie O'Donnell as moderator of "The View."
October 2007: Elisabeth Hasselbeck's First Maternity Leave
Elisabeth Hasselbeck went on maternity leave from "The View" in October 2007, returning in January 2008.
2007: The Daily Show of Daytime
Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly, in 2007, drew parallels between "The View" and "The Daily Show", stating that "The View" provides what "The Daily Show" does in the nighttime, reflecting the audience's frustrations, pleasures and hostilities towards pop and political culture.
2007: Rosie O'Donnell Leaves The View
Rosie O'Donnell left The View in 2007, marking her departure from the show.
January 2008: Elisabeth Hasselbeck Returns from Maternity Leave
Elisabeth Hasselbeck returned to "The View" in January 2008 after a brief maternity leave.
November 2008: Post-Election Day Record
"The View"'s post-election day telecast in November 2008, drew in a record-breaking 6.2 million viewers, making it the most-watched daytime television program for that week.
2008: "The View" Covers 2008 Election
The 12th season of "The View" heavily covered the 2008 US Presidential Election, even featuring politicians like John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama as guests.
August 2009: "The View" Wins Daytime Emmy
"The View", hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Barbara Walters, and Sherri Shepherd, won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host.
October 2009: Elisabeth Hasselbeck's Second Maternity Leave
Elisabeth Hasselback went on her second maternity leave from "The View" in August 2009, returning later that year in October.
May 2010: Barbara Walters's Open-Heart Surgery
Barbara Walters took a hiatus from "The View" after undergoing open-heart surgery in May 2010.
July 29, 2010: President Obama's Appearance
On July 29, 2010, "The View" saw its most-watched broadcast when President Barack Obama appeared as a guest, drawing in 6.6 million viewers.
2010: Barack Obama Makes History with Daytime Talk Show Appearance
In a groundbreaking event, then-U.S. President Barack Obama appeared as a guest on The View during the July 29 broadcast in 2010, marking the first time a sitting U.S. president had appeared on a daytime talk show.
February 22, 2012: Star Jones Returns to The View as a Guest
Star Jones made her first appearance on The View since her departure in 2006, coming back as a guest on February 22, 2012, to talk about her controversial exit.
March 2013: Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck's Departures Announced
Joy Behar announced her departure from "The View." Elisabeth Hasselbeck was also reported to be leaving, although this was initially denied.
2013: Outpacing "The Talk"
"The View" surpassed its rival talk show "The Talk" in 2013, by averaging 3.1 million daily viewers.
2013: "The View" Moves Away from Politics
In 2013, "The View" was speculated to be moving away from political topics.
February 7, 2014: Rosie O'Donnell Returns to The View as a Guest
On February 7, 2014, Rosie O'Donnell made her first appearance as a guest on The View since leaving the show in 2007.
May 2014: Barbara Walters Retires
Barbara Walters announced her retirement from "The View" in May 2014.
May 2014: Barbara Walters' Farewell
During Barbara Walters' final week on "The View" in May 2014, the show averaged 4.1 million viewers. Her farewell episode, which aired on May 16, garnered 5.2 million viewers, becoming the show's fourth most-watched broadcast.
May 16, 2014: Barbara Walters's Final Appearance
Barbara Walters made her final appearance as co-host of "The View" on May 16, 2014.
August 2014: Bill Wolff Becomes Executive Producer of The View
In August 2014, ABC announced the departure of Bill Geddie and the appointment of Bill Wolff as the new executive producer of The View.
September 2014: Season 18 Premiere
The season 18 premiere of "The View" in September 2014, achieved the show's second-highest premiere viewership with 3.902 million viewers.
September 15, 2014: New Co-Hosts Join "The View"
Rosie Perez and Nicolle Wallace joined "The View" as co-hosts alongside the returning Rosie O'Donnell and Whoopi Goldberg.
October 2014: The View's Production Oversight Shifts to ABC News
In October 2014, ABC shifted the production oversight of The View from its daytime entertainment division to Lincoln Square Productions, a subsidiary of ABC News, placing the show under the division's non-fiction programming.
2014: Rosie O'Donnell's Impact
In 2014, Michael Schulman from The New Yorker, highlighted the impact of Rosie O'Donnell's first tenure on the show, stating she pushed the boundaries of daytime talk show conversations, making "The View" more heated and interesting.
2014: "The View" Relocates Production
In 2014, "The View" moved production from ABC Television Studio 23 to ABC Broadcast Center, both in New York City.
2014: "The View" Shifts Management
"The View" was moved from ABC's entertainment division to ABC News in 2014 due to declining ratings.
January 2015: Declining Ratings
By January 2015, "The View" saw a nine percent decline in ratings in the women 25–54 demographic compared to the previous year.
February 3, 2015: Rosie Perez Returns from Hiatus
Rosie Perez returned to "The View" after taking a hiatus to rehearse for her role in the play "Fish in the Dark".
March 27, 2015: The View Celebrates 4,000th Broadcast
On March 27, 2015, The View celebrated its 4,000th broadcast with a special episode featuring the return of Barbara Walters and Joy Behar.
July 2015: Time to End "The View"?
In July 2015, Daniel D'Addario from Time suggested that ABC should consider ending "The View" due to its struggle to maintain a consistent panel of co-hosts.
August 2015: Brian Teta Joins The View as Co-Executive Producer
In August 2015, Brian Teta, former producer for the "Late Show with David Letterman," joined The View as a co-executive producer.
September 14, 2015: Controversy Over Nurse Remarks During Miss America Discussion
On September 14, 2015, Michelle Collins and Joy Behar faced backlash after making remarks about Miss America contestant Kelley Johnson, resulting in several sponsors pulling out from The View.
February 2016: Candi Carter Becomes Executive Producer of The View
Alongside the announcement of the show's renewal for a 20th season in February 2016, Candi Carter was promoted to the position of executive producer, having previously served as the interim showrunner during season 19. Notably, she became the first African American to hold this role in the show's history.
June 2016: Michelle Collins Departs The View
In June 2016, Michelle Collins departed from her role as co-host on the talk show The View.
September 5, 2016: ABC Airs The View: 20 Years in the Making
On September 5, 2016, ABC aired a documentary titled 'The View: 20 Years in the Making,' hosted by Joy Behar. The documentary featured notable moments from the show's history.
September 6, 2016: The View Debuts Updated Set Design and Theme Song
During the premiere of its 20th season on September 6, 2016, The View unveiled an updated set design featuring muted colors, revamped opening titles showcasing the co-hosts in a loft-style environment, and a new theme song titled "World's Gone Crazy," composed by Diane Warren and performed by Mary J. Blige.
November 2016: November 2016 Viewership
During the first week of November 2016, "The View" averaged 2.94 million viewers.
2016: "The View" Refocuses on Politics
Leading up to the 2016 US Presidential Election, "The View" began to refocus on political "Hot Topics" discussions.
January 2017: Hilary Estey McLoughlin Named Senior Executive Producer of The View
Hilary Estey McLoughlin was appointed as senior executive producer of The View in January 2017 after her previous involvement as a consultant for season 19.
April 2017: Season 20 Viewership
By April 2017, "The View"'s 20th season experienced a five percent increase in viewership compared to the previous season.
August 11, 2017: ABC Re-airs First Episode of The View
On August 11, 2017, ABC re-aired the first episode of The View to commemorate its original airing 20 years prior.
September 18, 2017: Jedediah Bila Announces Departure From The View
On September 18, 2017, Jedediah Bila made an on-air announcement of her departure from the talk show, The View.
December 2017: Sara Haines Goes On Maternity Leave
Sara Haines went on maternity leave from The View after giving birth to her daughter in December 2017.
2017: 30 Daytime Emmy Awards
By 2017, "The View" had been honored with 30 Daytime Emmy Awards, including accolades for Outstanding Talk Show, Outstanding Informative Talk Show, and Outstanding Talk Show Host for various co-hosts.
2017: Resurgence in Viewership
David Bauder of the Associated Press, in 2017, attributed the show's resurgence in viewership to its discussions surrounding politics.
February 13, 2018: Joy Behar Apologizes for Comments About Mike Pence
On February 13, 2018, Joy Behar made remarks about Mike Pence's religiosity that led to a backlash, including 40,000 calls to ABC. Behar later issued an on-air apology on March 13, 2018.
March 2018: Sara Haines Returns From Maternity Leave
Sara Haines returned to The View in March 2018 after her maternity leave.
September 4, 2018: Abby Huntsman Joins The View
Abby Huntsman joined the panel of co-hosts on The View, making her first appearance on the season premiere which aired on September 4, 2018.
2018: Ana Navarro Becomes Weekly Guest Co-Host on The View
Starting in 2018, Ana Navarro assumed the role of a weekly guest co-host on The View.
February 7, 2019: Whoopi Goldberg Takes Hiatus From The View
Whoopi Goldberg commenced a hiatus from her co-hosting duties on The View on February 7, 2019, due to health complications arising from pneumonia and sepsis.
April 2019: Publication of Ladies Who Punch
In April 2019, Thomas Dunne Books published 'Ladies Who Punch' by journalist Ramin Setoodeh, chronicling the history of The View. The book is set to be adapted into a television miniseries.
May 2019: Authentic Human Drama
In May 2019, Amanda FitzSimons, in The New York Times, highlighted what set the show apart from other programs. She noted that "The View" is one of the few places on television where audiences can witness "authentic human drama," particularly due to the fascination with the co-hosts.
September 2019: Sarah de la O Becomes Director of The View
Sarah de la O assumed the role of director for The View in September 2019.
November 7, 2019: The View Celebrates 5,000th Episode
On November 7, 2019, The View celebrated the airing of its 5,000th episode with guests including Bill Geddie, Donald Trump Jr., and Kimberly Guilfoyle.
November 2019: 5,000th Episode
"The View"'s 5,000th episode aired in November 2019, garnering 3.021 million viewers.
January 2020: Abby Huntsman Departs The View
In January 2020, Abby Huntsman announced she was leaving The View to pursue a role as a senior advisor for her father's gubernatorial campaign in Utah, with her last appearance on the show airing on January 17, 2020.
January 2020: Top Five Daytime Talk Show
By January 2020, "The View" solidified its position as one of the top five daytime talk shows in the U.S., boasting an average of 2.5 million daily viewers.
March 11, 2020: The View Airs First Broadcast Without Live Audience
On March 11, 2020, The View aired its first broadcast without a live studio audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 2020: The View Begins Airing Without a Live Studio Audience Due to COVID-19
In March 2020, The View made the decision to air without a live studio audience as a precautionary measure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 2020: The View Suspends Filming with a Live Studio Audience
In March 2020, The View made the decision to suspend filming with a live studio audience.
March 2020: Sara Haines Returns to The View as Guest Co-Host
Sara Haines came back to The View as a guest co-host in March 2020.
September 2020: Meghan McCain Goes On Maternity Leave
Meghan McCain took maternity leave from The View after giving birth to her daughter in September 2020.
November 2020: November 2020 Sweeps Period
"The View" averaged 3.048 million viewers during the November 2020 sweeps period.
January 2021: Meghan McCain Returns From Maternity Leave
Meghan McCain came back to The View in January 2021 following a three-month maternity leave.
February 2021: Hilary Estey McLoughlin Exits The View
Hilary Estey McLoughlin left her position at The View in February 2021.
July 2021: Loss of "Crackling Electricity"
In July 2021, Variety columnist Daniel D'Addario observed that the show had lost its "crackling electricity." He attributed this to the limitations of remote taping in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that the co-hosts "veered into a place that wasn't even good TV."
September 2021: The View Returns to Filming with a Live Studio Audience
The View marked the beginning of its 25th season in September 2021 with the return of filming in front of a live studio audience, a practice that had been suspended since March 2020.
September 24, 2021: Hosts Removed Mid-Broadcast Due to False Positive COVID-19 Tests
On September 24, 2021, Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro were removed from The View mid-broadcast after testing positive for COVID-19, which later turned out to be false positives.
2021: "The View" Becomes Top Daytime Program
By 2021, "The View" became the most watched news and talk show on daytime television.
February 2022: Whoopi Goldberg Suspended Over Holocaust Comments
In February 2022, Whoopi Goldberg was suspended from The View for two weeks after stating that the Holocaust was 'not about race'.
April 2022: Whoopi Goldberg Takes Hiatus From The View
In April 2022, Whoopi Goldberg commenced an extended break from her co-hosting duties on The View in order to work on the Amazon Prime Video series, Anansi Boys.
June 2, 2022: Original Co-Hosts Reunite for Taped Segment
On June 2, 2022, The View aired a taped segment featuring a reunion of original co-hosts Joy Behar, Debbie Matenopoulos, Star Jones, and Meredith Vieira at Essex Hall.
2022: #1 Daytime Talk Program (2022)
"The View" achieved the top ranking among daytime talk programs in terms of total viewers in 2022.
January 3, 2023: The View Airs Tribute Special for Barbara Walters
On January 3, 2023, The View aired a tribute special for Barbara Walters following her death on December 30, 2022. Former co-hosts appeared live and virtually to honor her legacy.
2023: #1 Daytime Talk Program (2023)
"The View" continued its success in 2023 by maintaining its position as the No. 1 daytime talk program in terms of total viewers, marking its third consecutive year in this leading position.