May Lee
Encyclopedia
May Lee is the host of STAR TV
's The May Lee Show. A second generation Korean American
, Lee faced gender discrimination and anti-Asian bias early in her career, and spent the 1980s moving between local broadcasters. However, she reached a turning point in 1995, when she joined CNN
; she first worked as a correspondent in Tokyo
and Hong Kong
, and later became the network's first female anchor of Korean descent.
Following her success at CNN, Lee returned to the United States
in 1999, where she hosted the talk show
Pure Oxygen on The Oxygen Network
, and also worked for other major broadcasters including ABC
and NBC
.
In 2004, Lee returned to the Asia-Pacific
region as an anchor for The Asia Wall Street Journal, CNBC
's Asian financial news program, and then co-anchored CNBC Tonight
with Teymoor Nabili
until December 2005. Though she initially worried that as she aged, her career opportunities would decrease, she stated that her popular reception had improved due to her "experience and flexibility".
In 2007, inspired by the economic and social changes she had seen in her five years away from Asia, she launched The May Lee Show, an English-language
talk show modelled on The Oprah Winfrey Show
and aimed specifically at Asian women. STAR TV placed great importance on the promotion of the new show, giving it a prime time slot right after the semi-final of American Idol
, before moving it to the Sunday 8 P.M. slot two weeks later. The program discusses both soft issues such as fashion and celebrities, as well as social problems such as divorce, infidelity, and child trafficking; guests on the first episode included American actress Joan Chen
, Australian singer Olivia Newton-John
, and New Zealand chef Bobby Chinn
.
STAR TV (Asia)
Satellite Television Asian Region is an Asian TV service owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.In 2009, News Corporation restructured STAR Asia into four units – STAR India, STAR Greater China, STAR Select and Fox International Channels....
's The May Lee Show. A second generation Korean American
Korean American
Korean Americans are Americans of Korean descent, mostly from South Korea, with a small minority from North Korea...
, Lee faced gender discrimination and anti-Asian bias early in her career, and spent the 1980s moving between local broadcasters. However, she reached a turning point in 1995, when she joined CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
; she first worked as a correspondent in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, and later became the network's first female anchor of Korean descent.
Following her success at CNN, Lee returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1999, where she hosted the talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
Pure Oxygen on The Oxygen Network
Oxygen (TV channel)
Oxygen is an American cable television specialty channel with television programming marketed towards women, with a format similar to Lifetime.- History :...
, and also worked for other major broadcasters including ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
.
In 2004, Lee returned to the Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific
Asia-Pacific or Asia Pacific is the part of the world in or near the Western Pacific Ocean...
region as an anchor for The Asia Wall Street Journal, CNBC
CNBC
CNBC is a satellite and cable television business news channel in the U.S., owned and operated by NBCUniversal. The network and its international spinoffs cover business headlines and provide live coverage of financial markets. The combined reach of CNBC and its siblings is 390 million viewers...
's Asian financial news program, and then co-anchored CNBC Tonight
CNBC Tonight
CNBC Tonight is a weeknight business news programme broadcast live from 1800 - 2000 HK/SG/TWN time on CNBC Asia from 16 February 2005 to 16 December 2005. It took the timeslot vacated by 3 former CNBC Asia programmes, Business Center, The Asian Wall Street Journal and e...
with Teymoor Nabili
Teymoor Nabili
Teymoor Nabili is a senior presenter for Al Jazeera English, based at Al Jazeera's headquarters in Doha.During a career spanning more than 20 years, Nabili has covered news in more than 30 countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas for the BBC, CNN and CNBC.The major stories he has covered...
until December 2005. Though she initially worried that as she aged, her career opportunities would decrease, she stated that her popular reception had improved due to her "experience and flexibility".
In 2007, inspired by the economic and social changes she had seen in her five years away from Asia, she launched The May Lee Show, an English-language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
talk show modelled on The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
and aimed specifically at Asian women. STAR TV placed great importance on the promotion of the new show, giving it a prime time slot right after the semi-final of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
, before moving it to the Sunday 8 P.M. slot two weeks later. The program discusses both soft issues such as fashion and celebrities, as well as social problems such as divorce, infidelity, and child trafficking; guests on the first episode included American actress Joan Chen
Joan Chen
Joan Chong Chen is a Chinese American actress, film director, screenwriter and film producer. She became famous in China for her performance in the 1979 film Little Flower and came to international attention for her performance in the 1987 Academy Award-winning film The Last Emperor...
, Australian singer Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
, and New Zealand chef Bobby Chinn
Bobby Chinn
Bobby Chinn, born 3 April 1966 in Auckland, New Zealand, is a famous chef, restaurateur, musician and TV host based in Hanoi, Vietnam. Bobby was born in Auckland but was then raised in England, New York and San Francisco....
.