COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA
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The Public Relations Section was responsible for co-ordinating the arrangements in the UK for visits by the Hong Kong Children's Choir and the Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra. The choir performed nightly at 'Chinese Osterley', a four-day event, and among the guests attending were Princess Alexandra and the Governor. The choir also gave a recital at St Paul's Cathedral and a concert in the Commonwealth Institute Theatre. It later took part in the International Festival of Youth in Aberdeen, Scotland.
The Youth Orchestra toured the UK and, in London, it gave concerts at St James's, Piccadilly, and the Commonwealth Institute.
In common with the London office, the Hong Kong government offices in New York and Brussels were kept busy catering to media interest in Hong Kong.
North America is covered by information units in the government's Economic Affairs Offices located in New York and San Francisco. They provide a general news and information service for the media and work with GIS to produce special features and articles tailored to the needs of American publications.
Emphasis is placed on regular liaison with representatives of the media in all the major centres, especially through visits by information officers who help establish a better understanding of Hong Kong, particularly in relation to questions applying to the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the steps being taken to ensure a smooth transfer of sovereignty. Hong Kong's role as a major trading partner of the United States, and its status as a free and fair trader, is also publicised as is the danger posed to the territory's economy by protectionist legislation.
The units also monitor the North American media and provide regular reports and analyses to the government on stories affecting the territory. A number of journalists who visited Hong Kong during the year were briefed and assisted in planning their programmes. Assistance was also given to incoming VIPs from Hong Kong in planning speaking engagements and providing media coverage.
The major media event of 1987 was the official visit to the United States by the Governor, Sir David Wilson, in October. The New York information unit provided logistical support and arranged for Sir David to address the National Press Club in Washington and to give interviews and briefings to the news media in both the capital and New York.
The Brussels office is responsible, among other things, for the government's publicity efforts in the 12 Member States of the European Community, except the United Kingdom. The office's information section works closely with GIS to provide material on Hong Kong matters in response to enquiries from the European media and to provide briefings for journalists visiting Hong Kong.
It also invites people of influence in member states' governments, the Commission of the EEC and the European Parliament who have shown an interest in Hong Kong to visit the territory, under sponsorship of the Hong Kong government. In addition, it arranges speaking engagements in many EEC countries for senior Hong Kong government officials and representatives of the business community, distributes feature articles and news releases to selected media contacts, and offers a more general enquiry and information service to the public.
Film Industry
Going to the cinema remains a popular leisure activity, second only to watching television. Annual cinema attendance totalled about 62 million, compared with about 60 million in 1986. In line with the trend over the last few years, the number of cinemas in Hong Kong continued to increase, totalling 115 by the end of the year. This compares with 105 in the