The organization was set up as a joint venture of the Government of Kerala, Kerala Union of Working Journalists and
Indian Newspaper Society in March 1979. In 1984, it established the V.Karunakaran Nambiar Award for best reports published in Malayalam newspapers on human rights issues. Its headquarters at
Kakkanad was inaugurated in May 1985. The following year it started a one-year "Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism" programme. In 1992 it established two more awards, the Dr. Mookanur Narayanan Award and the
Chowara Parameswaran Award. In 1993, it started offering the "Post Graduate Diploma in Public Relations & Advertising" programme, another one-year programme. In 1996, it decided to award the Moffusil Reporter's Award annually in the field of journalism. == Organisation and administration ==