PRESS, BROADCASTING AND CINEMA
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the real problems of the Colony and the way in which they are being tackled attract the serious attention of documentary film makers from all over the world.
Films for public exhibition within Hong Kong are subject to the provisions of the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance which requires that they must be viewed by a Panel of Censors. This year the panel viewed 3,300 films.
GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES
The Government Information Services are more or less closely connected with all of the activities dealt with in this chapter since their task is the communication of official information through the press, radio, television and the cinema. Within Hong Kong it is their duty to provide information on the decisions and actions of Government to the community at all levels. The department uses the same means abroad to establish an understanding of Hong Kong particularly in those countries and amongst those people who are in a position to affect the Colony's fortunes.
Within the Colony the department's strongest links are naturally with the newspapers and in fact the press division is the department's largest single unit. The basis of the press division's service to news- papers is the Daily Information Bulletin published each evening in Chinese and English and distributed within Hong Kong to more than 100 newspapers, correspondents and agencies. This bulletin contains an average of twelve items ranging over the whole field of public activity and is supplemented by the issue of urgent news items from official sources such as police bulletins and fire alarms. For this purpose the department's teleprinter link to 31 subscribers proves invaluable, particularly to evening newspapers with early deadlines.
Mere figures are little guide to the quality of an official information service but it is estimated that throughout this year the department issued an average of 600 items a month. This does not take into account the service provided during typhoons. In a severe storm when movement for the public, and even for reporters, may be difficult the department's direct links with police stations, fire stations, hospitals and other key points provides a steady flow of news which might otherwise not be available. This, together