MUMBAI: Print major Malayala Manorama's television venture Manorama News is now looking for an August launch. According to channel sources, the news channel will be unveiled on 17 August. The channel was earlier targeting a mid-July launch.

Malayala Manorama is launching Manorama News under the banner of its recently launched television initiative MM TV. The channel is headed by Anil George in the capacity of chief operating officer. Manorama News will be headquartered in Aroor, near Kochi, where the company has set up its news studio. Two smaller studios have been set up in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode as well.

Manorama News will be locking horns with the existing Malayalam news channels Asianet News (Asianet), Indiavision and People TV (Kairali TV). The total market offers an advertising pie of Rs 2 billion and the news channels command approximately 25 per cent (on the upper side) of the total ad pie, according to industry estimates.