As part of Puthiya Thalaimurai’s 10-year transition, we redesigned an approximately 7,000 sq. ft. newsroom and studio floor in Chennai, Tamil Nadu alongside the channel’s broader rebrand.
The existing studio was enclosed and disconnected from the newsroom. Our proposal was to remove that separation and create an open news hub where presenters, journalists, editors, and producers shared the same environment. Instead of a single isolated studio, multiple presentation zones were integrated into the newsroom itself, allowing presenters to move through the space during broadcasts and interact directly with editorial teams.
This approach increased the variety of camera shots and presentation styles available to the channel. Certain programs used the energy of the active newsroom as a backdrop, especially during breaking news coverage, while quieter presentation zones could be separated using a large acoustically insulated folding wall.
The redesign also made the editorial process visible to viewers. In an era shaped by individual creators and informal news sources, exposing the larger newsroom operation helped communicate that the channel’s reporting was supported by a collaborative team rather than a single on-screen personality.
Additional elements included a concealed virtual presentation area hidden behind a movable video wall, along with strategically positioned monitoring screens across the newsroom to help teams track competing broadcasts and live developments in real time.
