Veteran journalist Barbara Walters feels ABC News executives have tarnished the legacy of "The View" and fears the daytime talk show will be remembered for its backstage catfights and constantly rotating lineup of hosts.
Walters "feels they've ruined the franchise that she and Bill Geddie built," Page Six reported Saturday, citing a source.
"Instead of focusing on smart, educated women with strong talent, they cast uninformed child actors on the show," a source told the New York-based outlet. "The legacy has been compromised because of poor casting and bad leadership under ABC News."
The show, originally created and co-hosted by Walters, has run through a series of on-air personalities since its premier in 1997.
Former "Full House" star Candace Cameron Bure is the latest loss from the show, announcing last week she would be departing immediately. In October, Disney Channel actress Raven-Symoné said she would be leaving "The View" before the end of the year after reports surfaced that executives planned to phase her out
Page Six reported that Walters had become so discontented with the show's direction she decided to skip a post-election appearance, which brought together the original co-hosts, Debbie Matenopoulos, Meredith Vieira, Joy Behar, and Star Jones.
Walters instead decided to vacation with her daughter in Florida. A longtime rep said the Walters "calls the control room multiple times a week to offer her suggestions" and maintains a "wonderful relationship with the show."
An ABC rep told Page Six "there's no better producer" than Walters.
"We're always grateful for her notes about the show. The ratings are up, and we're very proud of the team," the rep said.