HONG KONG
ANNUAL DEPARTMENTAL REPORT
BY THE
DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES
R. M. LAI, J.P.
FOR THE
FINANCIAL YEAR 1976 - 77
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INTRODUCTION,
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The Government Information Services forms a major link between the government, the people of Hong Kong and the rest of the world. The department is organised in three main divisions -- news, publicity and public relations with certain services common to all three.
A network of information units has been established in key government departments to develop closer relations with both Press and public. There are now 16 of these units which are staffed by officers in the information grade.
The department maintains close relations with the Hong Kong Government Office in London which it supplies with a daily newsH TO round-up by telex and fuller details by airmail.
NEWS DIVISION
The news division is responsible for channelling to the media all government information, varying from statements on government. policy and action to routine notices and weather reports. It is directly linked with all major groups of the media by its teleprinter ande facsimile networks, which operate daily round the clock, including weekends and public holidays. As news in English is transmitted over the teleprinter network, news in Chinese is sent simultaneously over the facsimile transmitter.
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The editorial desk is the hub around which the division's of operation revolves. It produces a daily information bulletin in both T Chinese and English for distribution to more than 120 newspapers, news agencies, and television and radio stations. This supplements the teleprinter and facsimile services.
The news division also operates an enquiry desk which deals day and night with queries, primarily from journalists, on various aspects of government work. A research unit, has been established to produce background information and briefing material on major o matters of public interest. This provides a "bank" of knowledge for use when dealing with the Press. A comprehensive Press and reference library is also maintained and used daily by many local and overseas journalists and by students.
During typhoons, severe rainstorms, or any other, emergency, the division is quickly transformed into a communications centre y manned by teams of officers working in shifts to keep the public
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informed, through the media, of up-to-the-minute developments. Liaison officers are also deployed to key departments directly involved to ensure a comprehensive flow of information.
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Another responsibility of the news division is to produce television newsclips for showing over Hong Kong's five TV channels, ⠀ three Chinese and two English. Two or three news clips a week are produced in both languages, featuring many aspects of government activity.
PUBLICITY DIVISION
The publicity division' consists of three sub-divisions: publicity and marketing, creative, and editorial and publications. The various services provided by the division are available to all government departments requiring specialist advice and assistance on publicity matters.
The publicity and marketing sub-division is responsible for coordinating a large number of government campaigns on subjects such as crime prevention, road safety, fire prevention, anti-narcotics and police recruitment. The sub-division also promotes the "Clean Hong Kong" Campaign sponsored by the Urban Council. Other commitments include publicity for the annual Hong Kong Arts Festival and also for the Urban Council's Festival of Asian Arts.
The organisation of visits to Britain by cultural groups from Hong Kong has become another major activity for the sub-division. A special troupe, the Hong Kong Silver Jubilee Company, was formed to make a nation-wide tour of Britain to mark the Queen's Silver
The sub-division was also closely involved with
Jubilee year.
arrangements for Silver Jubilee celebrations in Hong Kong.
The creative sub-division provides specialised publicity services which cover many fields of visual presentation, including displays, exhibitions, posters, photographs and film material.
Extensive use of these services is made for promoting government campaigns, including the production of public message
commercials" for showing on T. V. The sub-division is also responsible for devising lay-outs and cover illustrations for a wide range of government publications.
The editorial and publications sub-division is responsible for producing publications about Hong Kong as well as for selling those that are printed for sale. A major editorial commitment is the
production of the Hong Kong Annual Report which has a combined sale in English and Chinese editions of more than 30,000 copies. It provides a comprehensive guide to Hong Kong affairs and is used both locally and overseas.
A new series of books under the general title "This is Hong Kong" is now being developed. The aim is to disseminate information about features of Hong Kong which have not yet been widely publicised. Five books in this series are in various stages of production; the first of these to be published is on Chinese temples.
A new government publications centre has been opened which provides the public with modern bookshop facilities. Publications produced by the government are also available through a chain of outlets which include leading book stores, City District Offices and district offices in the New Territories.
PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION
The major function of the public relations division is to promote understanding and improve the relationship between the government and the people. Its responsibility therefore is to help explain government policies to the people on the one hand and reflect public opinion to the departments concerned on the other. The division's role is similar to that of the City District Office, but instead of making direct contact with individuals, it concentrates on newspapers, television and radio.
More than 20 Chinese newspapers are examined every day by the division. Major news items and other reports on public affairs are surveyed, translated into English and published in a two-page tabloid newspaper, the GIST, which is circulated to government officials on the same day. A weekly review of Chinese press comment (now called "Opinion") is prepared in English for circulation to some 200 senior government officers. The division also draws the attention of government departments to letters published in the correspondence columns of newspapers. In addition, special research papers are produced to keep senior levels of the government advised on issues which arouse strong public debate.
The division also produces material for a weekly television programme which reviews editorial comment in the Chinese Press. This is shown on the English networks so that members of the community who do not read Chinese can keep abreast of local opinion as expressed through the Chinese newspapers.
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Hong Kong Chinese living abroad, and Hong Kong seamen serving in various parts of the world are kept informed of events in Hong Kong by a 12-page fortnightly newspaper in Chinese, the Hong Kong News Digest. This is compiled in the division and 33, 000 copies
of each edition are distributed free overseas.
During the year an overseas public relations section has been established to help visiting journalists and film teams as well as to liaise with journalists overseas.
DEPARTMENTAL UNITS
Much progress has been made in establishing departmental units to improve the flow of information to the Press and promote closer relations with the public.
There are now units functioning in the following departments: Agriculture and Fisheries, Civil Aviation, Commerce and Industry, Education, Fire Services, Housing, Labour, Medical and Health, New Territories Administration, Police, Prisons, Public Works, Social Welfare, Transport, and Urban Services. There is also a unit to service the various branches of the Government Secretariat, and an officer in the Security Branch to coordinate Press and publicity activities for anti-narcotics work. An information officer has also been added to the staff of the UMELCO Office.
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Some of these units have been or are being expanded in the larger departments where a fuller range of Press and publicity services is required to develop work in the information field. emphasis of work depends on the different type of service the department provides. Generally, it includes answering Press enquiries, issuing Press releases, arranging Press interviews, co-ordinating publicity activities, providing public relations courses for departmental staff and preparing specialised publications. The units also contribute to the publicity effort overseas by preparing feature articles on subjects of international interest.
The centralised resources of the Government Information Services are at all times available to departmental units, which receive help in arranging Press facilities, publicity campaigns, exhibitions and displays, and production of publications and films.
TRAINING
During the past two years, special attention has been given to providing departmental training for information officers of various grades, particularly those at assistant information officer level.
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On joining the department, all recruits are given an induction course by the training officer. In addition to these courses, which provide newcomers with a background knowledge of the department's activities, junior officers are required to attend a basic information course lasting 10 days to two weeks.
In-service training is also organised for all officers, including visits to newspapers, television stations and other organisations, talks by experts, seminars and refresher courses. Officers are also nominated to join overseas and local courses on subjects relevant to their work.
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GPHK
Reprography by the Government Printer, Hong Kong 7458271-10/77