CNN is ending ‘Life With Lisa Ling’
The CNN documentary series “This Is Life With Lisa Ling” will end its run on the network this year, a casualty of the news channel’s recently announced budget reductions.
Ling confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that the ninth season of the series, where she often embeds herself in situations to report on the margins of American society, will be the last. The program’s final six-episode run begins Nov. 27 on CNN at 10 p.m.
“I was hoping to get to 10 seasons, but we fell short of that,” Ling said in a phone interview from her home in Los Angeles. “I would like to do many, many more seasons, especially right now, when we are existing in these bubbles and we follow people who espouse what we believe. In some ways, we’ve cut ourselves off from really getting to know people who might be different or think differently than we do.”
“This Is Life” debuted in 2014 and is currently the longest-running show under the CNN Original Series banner, created to bring nonfiction films and series to the network that could attract viewers in slow news periods.
“Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” was the biggest hit to come out of the unit run by Amy Entelis, CNN executive vice president for talent and content development.
CNN Original Series, which has brought awards, younger audiences and new advertisers to the network, has six projects set to run on CNN.
Changes are likely ahead for the division. Last month, CNN Chief Executive Chris Licht told staff there will be significant cost reductions at the network, as parent Warner Bros. Discovery has a mandate to bring down costs at the recentlymergedcompany.asa result, the CNN Original Series unit will no longer acquire programs or films from outside production companies such as Part2 Pictures, the makers of “This Is Life.”
According to one person at the network familiar with the discussions who was not authorized to comment publicly, Licht still wants CNN to make long-form programming and has asked Entelis to explore how it can be done in-house.
“We are extremely proud of the work we produced together and with our partners at Part2 Pictures,” the network said in a statement. “The important seeds planted by Lisa will continue to grow at CNN as we remain committed to shining a light on underreported stories and the people who make up the fabric of America.”