Accra, Thursday August 16th 2012 -Today, Google announced the launch of Hangouts On Air in Ghana. This feature will enable Ghanaians using Google+ to broadcast live Hangouts sessions for anyone to watch on YouTube. This means that in addition to the 10 people participating in any given Hangout on Google+, thousands more can watch a live stream of the Hangout in real time.

'With the large number of people now using the different features of Google+ to connect and communicate globally, Hangouts on Air presents even more opportunities for Ghanaians to share ideas and content with more people in and outside Ghana, in real time. 'Artists, politicians, celebrities, concerned citizens, everyone with something to share can now go live in front of a global audience' said Awo Addo, Google Ghana Business Development Associate.

When a host starts a Hangout on Google, up to 9 other people can join and participate in the conversation. Now, Hangouts on Air allows users to connect and share with many more people at the same time. Hangouts On Air allows all qualified Google+ users to live stream their Hangout on their Google+ profiles/pages as well as their YouTube channels and personal websites. Once the broadcast is over, all Hangouts On Air will be automatically recorded and uploaded to the user's YouTube channel as a public video.

"We know that looking someone in the eye and communicating in the normal social way we're accustomed to is hugely important. The announcement of Hangouts On Air in Ghana is significant because it symbolizes a key milestone in how we connect, share and communicate with each other online' said Estelle Akofio Sowah, Google Ghana Country Manager. 'Now, with Hangouts On Air, a teacher in a rural part of Ghana for example, can share their lessons in real time with the world, simply using a laptop or tablet with a data connection.'

Google+, which launched in June 2011, and has now grown to have over 250 Million users is the beginning of Google's effort to put people at the center of all Google products. Google+ users must be 18 years a