She began her career in television journalism in the early 1970s, at a time when no woman headed a news or informational program in Mexico.

In 1987, she became the main anchor of her own news program, now called El Noticiero con Lolita Ayala which has been on the air since.

She is a member of ten social/charity organizations, with the most important of these being Sólo por Ayudar which she founded in 1985 and Comité Pro Animal which she co-founded in 1992.

[5] Ayala's journalism career began at Teleperiódico, part of the Notimex agency, working with them for sixteen years.

[7] She has covered stories such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the death of John Paul II, the Zapatista uprising, and the assassination of Luis Donaldo Colosio.

[4][13] These generally consist of her interviewing one or two experts on a subject as well as short segments on important points and life stories.

[14] Ayala is also noted for her philanthropic and social work similar to that done by other journalists such as Rita Gánem, Virginia Sendel and Patricia Suárez.

[13][21] Solo por Ayudar was recognized for its work by the Casa de la América Latina in Monte Carlo.