I&B shifts focus to social media   As more and more political leaders get on to technology hotspots to connect to a growing number of vocal and assertive Internet users, the government's official outlet for disseminating information cannot be seen lagging behind. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is trying its best to make its presence felt across different technology platforms, testing the power and possibilities of the medium, and its role in influencing the youth. The ministry's YouTube channel launched in September last year has been a hit, registering over 1.51 lakh video views and nearly 1,800 subscribers. The ministry has made its appearance on Twitter and Facebook and is operating a blog as well. Now its tech-savvy minister Manish Tewari is trying to ensure that this presence in the cyberspace gets consolidated further. The ministry has developed a mobile application to integrate its various online platforms. While application for Android phones is ready, a similar application for Blackberry and iPhones is in the development stage. Tewari himself is set to hold a Twitter conference in the coming days. The Prasar Bharati too is exploring the medium. The All India Radio is now live streaming on its website its Urdu Service and FM Gold — its niche infotainment channel. It has launched a YouTube channel and Android-based mobilephone application of AIR News.