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PUBLICATIONS, BROADCASTING AND FILMS

rapidly and, through syndication, many appear a dozen or more times in a single country.

The photographic section is one of the technical services which is shared by all units within the Department. Apart from supplying photographs for many publications, posters and photo-features, the section concentrated upon the production of quality press photo- graphs to enable the distribution of picture sets overseas to be started on a regular basis. Each set deals with a different subject and normally contains between one and two dozen 10′′ x 8′′ glossy prints. Each picture has a comprehensive caption of between 100 and 200 words, enabling them to be used either singly or as a 'spread'. These picture sets are proving of value to overseas publications both for immediate use, and for picture libraries for use with future stories about Hong Kong.

The development of the Colony's public relations overseas took a major step forward with the appointment, in the latter half of 1960, of an Information Officer to the Hong Kong Government Office in London (see Chapter 6). This new information service came into full operation at the beginning of 1961. The office works in close liaison with the Information Services Department in Hong Kong and handles, adapts and distributes the full range of official publicity media produced in the Colony in addition to producing original material in London. Distribution to the United Kingdom press of photographs, feature articles and press releases has met with notable success. The London Office also maintains close contact with Radio Hong Kong and recorded interviews are arranged for broadcasting in the Colony.

PUBLIC ENQUIRY SERVICE

To assist the individual member of the public in his dealings with Government a new office, known as the Public Enquiry Service, was established in July, and met with immediate success. The service, headed by a Controller, comes under the general direction of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs. It provides a place where the man-in-the-street can go for advice on, or explanations of, the services and functions performed by the various departments of the Hong Kong Government and constitutes an additional instru- ment not only for measuring the impact of Government upon

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