AIR ties up with Amazon Echo to tune you in with one command

Listeners can now tune into All India Radio (AIR) by giving a voice command from anywhere in the world, thanks to a recent partnership between the public broadcaster and Amazon Echo service.

AIR looks at expanding its reach with the help of new age technology with this latest move.

The listeners need to buy 'Echo' device from the e-commerce platform of Amazon in order to avail the “voice on command” service.

AIR Director General F Sheheryar said, "Now, people across the world can access local and global services of AIR through a voice command on Amazon Echo. With the changing technology, the public broadcaster is trying to meet the media needs of consumers. We just partnered with Amazon 10 days ago and it will take another 10 days for this partnership to become a reality."

Besides offering 17 local services, including FM Gold, FM Rainbow, Vividh Bharati, the All India Radio runs 14 regional language services through its digital applications and online platform.

The national broadcaster also offers 27 global services.

The AIR official said all 44 services (local and global) will be available on Echo.

In India, AIR operates a total of 420 radio stations, including five community radio stations. Its external services division broadcasts to more than 108 countries.