Lisa Ling

Though most television viewers knew Lisa Ling from her 1999-2002 stint as co-host of "The View" (ABC, 1997- ), she first distinguished herself as an investigative reporter at age 15. She continued to do so as host of "National Geographic Explorer" (National Geographic Television, 1985- ), and as a special correspondent for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (syndicated, 1986-2011), for which she traveled the globe and braved dangerous situations to spotlight humanitarian concerns like child trafficking in Ghana and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on the residents of New Orleans. From her first few months on "The View," it became apparent that this educated and passionate voice would need more than celebrity gossip to sustain her, and upon her departure Ling was inundated with offers to bring her journalistic talent to a wide range of television outlets.