As one of the best-known faces at influential State media outlet China Central Television (CCTV), 36-year-old Chai Jing stands out with her career achievements and journalistic integrity.

Back in 2003, as a newcomer on the investigative reporting team at CCTV, Chai made a name for herself at the forefront of the SARS outbreak in Beijing. On camera, the passionate young woman risked her life by talking face to face with SARS patients in the hospital, her slender figure wrapped in heavy white protective clothing.

Nearly 10 years later, as the host of the program Insight, a 60 Minutes-like program featuring interviews with a variety of people connected to news events, Chai has shifted from her former persona as a tough reporter known for her in-your-face interview style, to a listener who draws out her subjects' points of view.

"In the past, I thought a journalist should express her sense of justice in interviews through a confrontational dialogue. But now I realize that approach can lead the audience to see only part of the world," Chai said, reflecting on her growth as a journalist in an interview with the Global Times in Beijing.

Sitting in a café in eastern Beijing, the short-haired woman, who was off duty and wearing not a trace of make-up, spoke of her experiences with critical introspection.

Chai discussed one of her most memorable interviews on Insight. Her guest was Li Yang, founder of the English language training organization Crazy English, who found himself in the spotlight after his American wife went public with photos of her injuries due to her husband's domestic violence. During the interview, the journalist from Shanxi Province found herself embroiled in a debate over personal views.

Li, a businessman whose focus on career leaves him little time for family, made an attempt to liken himself to Chai, a high-profile career woman, stating that as long as one fulfills filial duties, one is still a good person. Unable to resist, Chai grinned and shot back, saying, "But you know that the marital relationship is the most important for human beings."

"I often find myself swinging between maintaining objectivity and feeling the urge to make a judgment," Chai told the Global Times. "But as a reporter, it's essential that I offer neither praise nor criticism, but simply present the world as it is."

Seeking objectivity

Chai, who majored in accounting at Changsha Railway College in Hunan Province first rose to fame as the host of the daily literature program Gentle Moonlight on Hunan Arts Radio, where she worked from 1994 to 1998. Then she came to Beijing to pursue her studies in journalism and landed a job with CCTV as a reporter in 2001.

Chai said that her motivation to become a journalist was ignited when she went to her college library and saw a series of photos of a 16-year-old prostitute, taken by Zhao Tielin.

"Before seeing those photos, I simply knew that prostitutes existed, but through Zhao's eyes, I could really feel their experience," Chai wrote in a 2010 blog posting.

Last year, Yao Jiaxin, a college student from Xi'an, accidentally hit a young woman named Zhang Miao with his car. When Zhang tried to get Yao's license plate, the motorist stepped out of his car and stabbed her to death. During his trial, which resulted in the death penalty, Yao said that his parents were very strict with him, once locking him in a basement when he didn't perform well in his studies. His father opposed his son's hope of donating his corneas, infamously telling him, "You better take all of your sins with you to the next world."

Chai interviewed both sets of parents on her show. When Zhang's mother broke into tears, the host sat closeby, respectfully refraining from pressing with questions. During her interview with Yao's father, when her guest mentioned his opposition to the cornea donation, Chai said she secretly pressed her palm with her pen to suppress the urge to unleash any accusations.

The episode immediately attracted public attention. Chai's hands-off interview style allowed her audience to see a new perspective on what had been a highly publicized trial.

"My views on the case changed dramatically after that show. I grew up with very strict parents also, and I wonder if I would have felt the same fear Yao felt," a blogger named Zi Yusheng wrote.

Instead of commenting on hot-button issues, Chai tries to tell a story as it is and leave the audience to make up their own minds. "By removing all those bubbles on the surface, I try to uncover what really matters," she said.

To be a faithful recorder 

In her blog on China's news portal Sina, Chai comments on each of her interviews in an introspective manner, often exposing her own weaknesses, winning her praise from countless fans.

"Chai's blog, full self-examination, has served as an extension of her TV program," said Xu Hong, a journalism professor at Peking University. "With over 50 million page views, she has built a lot of influence, especially among young intellectuals."

During an interview with Eckart Loewe, a German who teaches in a remote village in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and is devoted to left-behind children, Chai openly stated that she was in no way qualified to understand his hard work and dedication.

"That was the most difficult interview I've done. All the questions I prepared went nowhere. I had to admit my ignorance, and try to feel the way he feels about his life, as I believe feeling is the source of truth," said Chai.

Many of Chai's fans say that she always gives special care to people, especially those who are disadvantaged and those living on the margins of society.

An admirer of famous Italian reporter Oriana Fallaci, Chai said she respects Fallaci's courage and her strong personality; she strives to maintain a career that is devoted to journalism and avoids being confined by labels and stereotypes.

"I only focus on doing what a reporter should do: to record, observe and present the news. During an interview, I am only responsible for that moment, nothing else," said Chai.

After more than 10 years in the news industry, Chai says her passion for journalism has not faded, but that something has indeed changed. "I used to love being in the middle of breaking news. But now, I enjoy meeting people and feeling their lives."

As a reporter, Chai said she used to get frustrated when her reports failed to bring changes to the people she wanted to help, but this no longer bothers her.

"As former BBC Director-General Mark Thompson said, the media should provide light, not warmth, to the world. Journalists should offer a truthful presentation of the news, but never intervene."

"The camera is simply there. It's not seeking anything, nor covering anything up. I am a reporter, learning about someone's life, and I enjoy every moment," Chai added.