Prasar Bharati has invited global tenders from Internet facility providers to upgrade the AIR Internet service to a multi-channel multi-lingual Internet radio station providing streaming audio.

The planning and development unit of the pubcaster has publicly invited commercial offers for the overhaul of All India Radio, so far a public service broadcaster focussed on educational and entertainment programmes.

With the private sector poised to invade the airwaves via FM, the government seems to be gearing up for the challenge by providing multi-lingual streaming audio.

The tender documents are available at Akashwani Bhavan, New Delhi from 11 March. An earnest money deposit of Rs 50,000 accompanies the tender documents, the deadline for which is 12 pm on 16 April.