COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA
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Information Policy
The government's information machinery was reorganised in 1993, when the Home Affairs Branch assumed overall responsibility for policy formulation on information and related
matters.
Under the reorganisation, the Information Co-ordinator in the Chief Secretary's Office took responsibility for the government's public relations strategy, with the Information Services Department as the executive agency for policy implementation.
The main aims are to ensure an open exchange of information in the community and to keep the media fully informed of the government's plans and policies, so that members of the public are kept aware of the government activities which affect their lives.
The Information Co-ordinator advises the government on the presentation of its policies, and on public relations matters generally, both within Hong Kong and overseas.
Information Services Department
The Information Services Department, also known as Government Information Services (GIS), provides the link between the administration and the media and, through the latter, enhances public understanding of government policies, decisions and activities.
The department is organised into six divisions—the News, Publicity, Overseas Public Relations, Visits, Departmental Units and Media Research, and Administration divisions. It has a staff of about 560. Of these, 360 are Information Grade officers, with 220 deployed in government departments, policy branches in the Government Secretariat and Hong Kong Government offices overseas.
In 1994, GIS began to implement an information systems strategy to improve the quality of its services through the quicker dissemination of information and more efficient communication links with the media and other government departments. The first stage in November involved the use of the Government News Information System to, among other things, issue press releases to local subscribers via computers. The information systems strategy is expected to be extended to all departmental operations by the end of 1996.
News Division
The News Division maintains direct contact with the media on a 24-hour basis. It is responsible for disseminating government information to over 80 newspapers, news agencies, television and radio stations, and other individual organisations.
The division produces a daily information bulletin in both English and Chinese, which contains about 20 of the more important press releases on an average day.
It runs a press enquiry service which operates round-the-clock. It has a comprehensive press library, holding press cuttings and copies of all government press releases, and a smaller reference library for use by journalists, researchers and students.
Publicity Division
The Publicity Division is responsible for government publications, promotional campaigns, advertisements, creative and design work and government photography.
Its Publishing Sub-division handles more than 9 500 separate titles. It produces a wide variety of government publications, including the Hong Kong annual report. Every year, it distributes some six million copies of publications such as books, fact sheets, brochures,