Yang Lan has used her career in the spotlight to share the stories and aspirations of women. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Renowned as the "Oprah of China," talk show hostess Yang Lan's status as one of the country's most influential media entrepreneurs was given a further boost last year when she was ranked by Forbes at 100 on its World's 100 Most Powerful Women list.

With her neat bob, unaccented English and stylish fashion, Yang has the poise and charisma one might expect of an influential media personality with 35 million followers on Weibo. Together with her businessman husband Bruno Wu, Yang is a co-founder of Sun Media Group, an empire with stakes in TV, offering forums, educational services, and the Internet.

But to most Chinese audiences, she is best known for her interviews with politicians, economists, social activists from all over the world on her flagship talk show Yang Lan One-on-One.

Yang recently sat down with the Global Times to share her thoughts on business and life away from the spotlight, staying true to her outspoken form by offering opinions on some issues she raised on her own.

Guiding great change

The daughter of an English literature teacher, Yang has worked in the media for more than two decades. Her career began in earnest with the Zheng Da Variety Show in 1990 produced by China Central Television. The program introduced Chinese audiences to different parts of the world and consistently attracted 300 million viewers each week.

Yang, 45, became the first non-American woman chosen by MAKERS: Women Who Make America for its Groundbreaker award in May last year, but said the accolade reflects the wider efforts Chinese women have made on the world scale.

"There will be more Chinese women gaining attention in the future not only in the US but across the world," said Yang. "Chinese women have made tremendous achievements. We have female judges, astronauts, media personalities, social activists and artists who have all made great contributions."

Aside from her comparison with Oprah Winfrey, Yang has also been compared to prominent 20th century American magazine publisher De Witt Wallace. But while acknowledging her respect for both Winfrey and Wallace, Yang insists "there is no need for anyone to be an imitation of someone else."

Asked how she felt as a media personality at the peak of her career during China's current transformation, Yang said the experience is "challenging yet exciting."

"China is undergoing a big transition both economically and in regards to its people's ideas and lifestyles. The influence a media person can wield during this period should not be underestimated," Yang said, citing how US media reports helped end the Vietnam War and advance the civil rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s.

 But Yang is also aware of major changes unfolding in her domain, where she said "old-fashioned management methods are still constraining our creativity."

Pursuit of happiness

"Better self, better future," the slogan of Yang's other popular talk show Her Village, reflects her wishes for herself and fellow Chinese women. Recently, a new online talk show Tianna Nüren (Oh, Women) on letv.com, sharing women's thoughts and stories is another cause Yang had dedicated herself to in recent years.

"It is just a natural progression because I am a woman," Yang said of her interest in women-related issues.

She further noted that although gender equality has been a long-term battle, women today still face lingering barriers and stereotypes holding them back from realizing their potential.

"We [women] are taught to behave pleasantly, which I feel is improper," Yang said. "To be liked by others, you have to make a lot of changes to your life. It seems being liked by others has become the most important thing women are told to achieve, when really modern women should be sharp and pointed instead of submissive and tender."

As a successful woman, one of the questions Yang is most asked is how women should divide their value given to family and career commitments.

"This is a very reasonable question, but it is unreasonable that successful men never need to answer this question," said Yang, who has two children. 

Through her programs, Yang wants to spread the message that women can live out their own fairy tales that have a happy ending.

"Many young women have a passive idea about happiness, thinking one day they might meet their Prince Charming or have some other fateful twist that leads to them living happily ever after," she said. "I believe in the power to obtain happiness ourselves. We shouldn't only receive happiness, but also give others happiness."

Unafraid to be outspoken

Yang is one of the hottest Weibo celebrities, with her millions of followers hanging on her every post.

"New media offers a kind of liberation by providing a platform for all people to voice their opinions, whereas once only a small number had such right of speech," Yang said. "More young people are allowed to have their say on public matters. For a traditional media worker like me, it has been a process of discovering yourself."

But Yang has also ignited controversy as an outspoken commentator.

In October 2013, she caused an online storm when she posted a question via Weibo to world-famous Chinese pianist Lang Lang after he had been named the United Nations' Messenger of Peace. Yang questioned the meaning of Lang's work to children from families too poor to afford a piano, which drew a fierce backlash from many Net users.  

"I did need to learn from this issue," Yang admitted. "I was insensitive and [asked the question] in a moment of carelessness. I forgot to consider how others might interpret my words in the absence of body language or a facial expression. You need to show understanding, but it is impossible to please everyone."

More than 20 years after her media career began after she was chosen as a college senior from more than 1,000 other contestants to host the Zheng Da Variety Show, Yang said she has slowed down her pace of life but not the progress for realizing her ambitions.

"When I was young, I was always running around and couldn't be still for even one second. I always cared about what was happening outside," said Yang. "Now, I'm beginning to pay more attention to my own body and try to strike a better balance."