Lisa Ling has spent her career moving through some of the most complex and often unseen corners of the world, approaching storytelling with a blend of curiosity, empathy, and unwavering presence. From mainstream broadcast journalism to deeply immersive documentary work, she has built a body of work focused on people whose stories are rarely told with care or depth. Across decades of reporting, her lens has remained consistent: a commitment to understanding the human condition in all its nuance. This conversation turns to what drives that instinct, how she holds space for others while telling difficult truths, and what meaningful storytelling looks like in a fractured media landscape.
Your career has taken you into some of the most complex and often unseen parts of the world. What first drew you to stories that live beyond the surface?
I have always been insatiably curious about the world around me, particularly about people and cultures different from mine. And having grown up feeling like an outsider as an Asian American girl in a totally non-diverse community, I feel like I’ve been able to identify with others who have felt on the margins, or those who feel their stories haven’t been told.
There’s a strong emotional undercurrent in the way you tell stories. How do you navigate the balance between journalistic objectivity and human connection?
I think it’s a misconception to think that just because one becomes emotional while reporting a story, that he or she isn’t being objective. My reporting is different from a lot of mainstream reporting because I’m not just reporting facts, but allowing people into the worlds and the lives of the people I profile.
From The View to This Is Life, your journey reflects a constant evolution. What does purpose mean to you now compared to when you started?
It is true, my journey has been a circuitous one, but I have always strived for people to better understand the human condition in all of the work I’ve done and all of the outlets for which I have worked. Now more than ever, as we have increasingly resorted to our silos and are so influenced by the almighty algorithm, it’s more important than ever to try to tell and understand human stories.
You’ve given a voice to communities that are often overlooked. What responsibility do you feel when you step into someone else’s reality to tell their story?
I feel a huge responsibility to tell stories responsibly, which is why I try hard not to make myself the story, but to just be the vehicle through whom people can get to know others and even walk in other people’s shoes. People have really come to trust that when they share their stories with me, that I will be ultra cautious telling their stories with the utmost level of responsibility.
Storytelling at your level often requires confronting difficult truths. How do you protect your own emotional well-being while staying fully present in your work?
I have been fortunate to work with incredible people who feel as strongly and passionately as I do about telling these kinds of stories. We are all sounding boards for one another and make efforts to talk through how we are all feeling about what we’re doing. We have cried together on many occasions and made sure to support one another whenever we’ve needed it.
As a mother, how has your perspective on the world, and the stories you choose to tell, changed?
As a parent, it’s become even more important to me to tell stories of our shared humanity. We have become so divided that it’s hard to see past the vitriol and noise. It’s also increasingly more difficult to discern fact from fiction these days, so seeking out truth during these times of uncertainty has been a crucial aspect of what I have been trying to do.
In today’s media landscape, where attention is fragmented, what does meaningful storytelling look like to you now?
Meaningful storytelling is truthful and sincere. It really resonates when people allow themselves to be vulnerable and remove artifice.
What’s your “Call Your Shot” moment, when did you decide to go after something and refuse to let uncertainty stop you?
I can’t put my finger on a single moment because I feel like I’ve always at least tried to go after things I’ve wanted to do. I haven’t always succeeded, but I’ve never wanted to have regrets. If there has been something I’ve wanted to do, I feel like I’ve always made an effort to make it a reality.
Lisa Ling
Photographed by Kenneth Medilo @kenmedilophoto
Styling + Creative Direction Benjamin Holtrop @benjaminholtrop at @thewallgroup
Hair & MUA Brittany T, Nikki L, Kelly T, Kahn at @KellyZhangAgency
Production Aleksandar Tomovic @alekandsteph
Socials Tesia Kuh @thefirstthree.co
Production Coordinator Chalisa Phiboolsook @chalisaphi
Talent Coordinator Isabella Nuqui @_snowdust_
Location BELLO Media Group x Maison Privée @BELLOmediaGroup @maisonpriveePR_LA
