All India Radio coming soon to your nearest Amazon Echo

All India Radio(AIR) is teaming up with Amazon to offer its services on Amazon Echo smart speakers in the next three to six months. AIR Director General Fayyaz Sheheryar announced the strategic partnership on the eve of Public Service Broadcasting Day in Meghalaya, as IANS reported.

Amazon Echo smart speaker, developed by Amazon is a hands-free voice-controlled device that uses Alexa voice service to play music, set alarm and timers, weather and sports scores, manage to-do and shopping among others.

Fayyaz Sheheryar said, “AIR is working to provide Virtual Private Network which will provide seamless broadcasting service to any part of the country.” He further said that the government-owned broadcaster is developing a mobile app to utilize the existing platforms with over 20 live streaming channels. He informed that the broadcaster is looking to introduce HD radio in the coming days.

The Director-General of AIR congratulated Prasar Bharti on its 20th anniversary and said, “AIR is the largest news-gathering and disseminating apparatus in the world. The sheer enormity of its output is mind-boggling.” He said AIR news bulletins, current affair programmes and other genres of programmes, broadcast both in general and special audience segments, have been strengthening the country’s democratic fabric. The importance of AIR has increased in the country after it has introduced the Prime Minister's pet program Mann Ki Baat.