MUMBAI: To keep pace with contemporary trends, the Information & Broadcasting (I&B) ministry has launched All India Radio services on new media platforms. The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) minister Manish Tewari announced the launch on 19 March.

The government has launched live streaming of AIR Urdu service and FM Gold, AIR YouTube channel and an android based mobile phone application for AIR News.  In its zest to explore new media and enhance reach, Tewari said that the advent of AIR on social media platforms was an important step in enhancing its reach and would keep AIR in pace with contemporary trends.

Tewari said, “With the use of social media, people could now access the content of AIR in any part of the globe. This was a landmark step in the history of AIR broadcasting, as live webcasting would give the public broadcaster a new profile as far as news dissemination in real time was concerned.  This initiative would also enable the listeners of AIR to access the archives at one click of a button.”

Regarding the android based mobile application developed for accessing news stories from the AIR News Network, Tewari said, “apart from catering to news and information needs of audiences both domestic and external, this innovative technology would enhance the profile, content and reach of its National and Regional bulletins in Regional Languages in the audio form. The integration with mobile applications would address the communication needs of the youth and the audience that followed new technologies.” The minister complimented AIR for developing special news based programmes through the android applications.

Present at the occasion were I&B secretary Uday Kumar Verma, Prasar Bharati chairperson Mrinal Pandey, Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar and other senior officials of the ministry and Prasar Bharati.

The live streaming of these two channels shall be available on the AIR website any time, while the YouTube channel will initially carry clips from AIR archives portraying India’s cultural diversity. AIR shall also use this portal for contemporary developments in India’s socio-cultural life. The YouTube channel will eventually turn into a full-fledged portal for the entire AIR network.