PUBLICATIONS, BROADCASTING AND FILMS

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number of small local agencies serving the vernacular newspapers and two or three correspondents (either staff or part-time repre- sentatives) for other overseas agencies in the Colony. Broadcasting and television systems-particularly those of the North American continent-are also well represented. The Time and Life magazine organization, the New York Times and Newsweek magazine also maintain bureaux in Hong Kong.

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The number of editors, correspondents, broadcasters and televi- sion units visiting the Colony continues to increase year by year.

PUBLISHING

Hong Kong has a flourishing printing industry. Despite keen foreign competition, particularly from Japan, it has captured and retained valuable contracts with many major publishers, and supplies local needs as well as those of south-east Asia.

All books printed in Hong Kong are required by law to be registered with the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs. The number of books registered in the year showed an increase of 20% over that in 1959. The vast majority of them was in the Chinese language, the most notable exceptions being the English publications of the University Press and a number of business guides and directories. Of the Chinese books registered, the largest single category (about 36%) consisted of text-books for use in Chinese schools in Hong Kong and south-east Asia. 32% might be classified as fiction, and the rest were a miscellany of a generally popular and transitóry

nature.

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES

The implementation of Government's policy decision, announced in mid-1959, to expand the scope and range of official publicity, both locally and overseas, was the main pre-occupation of the Information Services Department during 1960. Although provision had been made for realistic increases in both operational budget and manpower, the recruitment of suitable trained personnel to fill the new posts proved disappointingly slow and by the end of the year the staff of the Department was 74 as against the establish- ment of 97 provided for in the estimates. The shortage was particularly acute in the Press Division, but the lack of certain 'key' officers, several of them in senior grades, militated against

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