Intro
News Malayalam 24×7, India’s leading Malayalam language news channel, has redefined storytelling in the regional news space. As a round-the-clock news channel owned by News Malayalam Private Limited, the organization is committed to delivering immersive, dynamic, and cutting-edge news coverage.
With a hybrid distribution model spanning satellite and online platforms, News Malayalam 24×7 reaches around 1 million viewers* every week (across Kerala state and the Malayali global diaspora), blending traditional broadcasting with a rapidly growing digital-first strategy.
To maintain its leadership in innovation and storytelling, News Malayalam 24×7 adopted Viz Pilot Edge and Template Builder to modernize its newsroom operations.
The result? A seamless transformation that has invigorated journalists and enhanced speed, quality, and viewer engagement.
Challenge
Outdated Workflows and Limited Flexibility
News Malayalam 24×7 CTO Manikandan Velu is a broadcast industry veteran who has launched several greenfield news channels. His requirements for this new channel were multifold. Modern tools that could deliver reliability, ease of use, and meet long-term plans, as well as adhere to stringent cyber security standards. It was a deliberate roadmap to ensure an editorial-centric news production and futureproof operations to include a hybrid cloud workflow.
Solution
Viz Pilot Edge and Template Builder
Adopting Viz Pilot Edge was a key part of the plan — to help journalists create and publish stories with graphics directly from their desks and laptops (when on the road), relieving demands on the design team. The goal? Timely, more engaging news to build, cement and sustain the channel’s reputation for speed and impact.
At the same time, the technical team also wanted to ensure that any software updates were immediately reflected to all the users, as the channel was evolving into a hybrid model and needed to have content optimized for both linear (TV) and digital platforms. Viz Pilot Edge fit that bill neatly, as all updates are managed server-side, requiring no local installations on individual workstations.
In short, journalists have full control over their output.
They access templates via a web client, edit the graphics content, preview live data, and push graphics to rundowns to deliver stories quickly, complete with the necessary graphics. Transition Logic, a technology first developed by Vizrt, ensures that graphics switch smoothly one to another without glitches.
Here’s how Viz Pilot Edge has empowered News Malayalam 24×7’s editorial team:
Journalists no longer need to rely on designers for day-to-day graphics, freeing up the creative team to focus on more complex projects. And the latest upgrades to Template Builder have given designers a robust tool to create advanced 3D data-driven graphics.
The workflow at News Malayalam
Integrated Workflow: From design to on-air delivery, the process is seamless:
Template Builder →
Publish Template.
Select templates →
Fill content →
Preview →
Add to rundown.
Outcome
Speed, Quality, and Increased Viewer Engagement
Since adopting this new workflow, News Malayalam 24X7 has experienced transformative results:
Crucial to Have Reliable Support
The adoption of Viz Pilot Edge was seamless, with Vizrt’s support team assisting to troubleshoot and resolve issues swiftly. Additionally, a young, agile editorial team eager to learn, embraced the new workflow from day one, proving that with the right tools and mindset, innovation doesn’t need to be complicated.
Future Plans: Scaling Innovation with Vizrt
Looking ahead, Manikandan says News Malayalam 24×7 aims to strengthen its digital-first strategy, ensuring content is optimized for TV, online, and mobile platforms. Vizrt solutions will play a strategic role in helping the team:
Why Viz Pilot Edge is the Go-To Solution for Modern, Digital-first Newsrooms
For News Malayalam 24×7, Viz Pilot Edge and Template Builder have significantly improved newsroom operations, enabling the team to produce and deliver immersive, high-quality news faster and more efficiently. As well as building a secure infrastructure to maintain a leading position in delivering regional news to viewers in India and beyond.
Viz Pilot Edge
If your newsroom is looking to boost productivity, and create engaging stories for your viewers, Viz Pilot Edge may just be the solution to help you hit those goals. Get in touch for a demo.
*Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India data
