WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1984
PUBLIC VIEWS ARE PICKED UP THROUGH 16 CHANNELS
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THE GOVERNMENT PICKED UP VIEWS COMMONLY EXPRESSED BY PEOPLE THROUGH SOME 16 CHANNELS, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON DENIS BRAY, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
SOME OF THE CHANNELS WERE THE UMELCO OFFICE, THE 15 URBAN COUNCIL WARDS, THE 18 DISTRICT BOARDS, OVER 300 GOVERNMENT ADVISORY BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, HE SAID.
OTHER CHANNELS INCLUDED PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAMMES ON TELEVISION AND RADIO, OPINION POLLS, ATTITUDE SURVEYS AS WELL AS SPECIAL COMPLAINT OFFICES AND 'HOT LINES' SET UP BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, HE SAID.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ANDREW SO, ON HOW GOVERNMENT MONITORED AND ASSESSED PUBLIC OPINION, MR BRAY SAID THAT SEVERAL OF THESE CHANNELS INVOLVED MANY COMPONENTS.
ANYONE WHO WISHED TO AIR HIS VIEWS HAD A CHOICE OF, OR A COMBINATION OF THESE CHANNELS, MR BRAY SAID.
*THOSE WHO DO NOT ACTIVELY SEEK TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS, AND THEY FORM THE BULK OF THE PEOPLE, MAY BE REQUESTED TO STATE THEIR OPINION ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS THROUGH SURVEYS OR THROUGH THEIR DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED, HE SAID.
THESE CHANNELS WERE CAREFULLY MONITORED BY THE GOVERNMENT WITH FOUR DEPARTMENTS ENTRUSTED SPECIFICALLY WITH THE ROLE OF CO- ORDINATING EFFORT IN THIS AREA - THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES, RADIO TV HONG KONG, CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION AND THE HOME AFFAIRS BRANCH, HE SAID.
THE GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES, HE EXPLAINED, ASSESSED OPINION EXPRESSED IN THE MEDIA AND DISTRIBUTES A SUMMARY OF NEWS AND COMMENTS DAILY TO ALL GOVERNMENT BRANCHES AND DEPARTMENTS. THE DEPARTMENT ALSO PRODUCES A WEEKLY REVIEW OF CHINESE EDITORIAL COMMENTS, AS WELL AS A WEEKLY SUMMARY OF MEDIA REPORTING AND COMMENTARY ON SPECIAL ISSUES. THERE IS ALSO A WEEKLY SUMMARY OF ARTICLES IN PERIODICALS ON SPECIFIC ISSUES WHICH MAY BE OF -> INTEREST TO SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS OR GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS.
RTHK, APART FROM PROVIDING DIRECT CHANNELS FOR THE PUBLIC TO AIR THEIR OPINION TO GOVERNMENT IN GENERAL OR TO SPECIFIC GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, IS ALSO ENGAGED IN PRODUCING PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAMMES WHICH SEEK TO HIGHLIGHT PUBLIC CONCERN AT ANY PARTICULAR MOMENT, MR BRAY SAID.
THE CNTA, HE SAID, REGULARLY REPORTS ON VIEWS AND COMMENTS GATHERED FROM CONTACTS WITH THE PUBLIC AND CIRCULATES A WEEKLY ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC OPINION WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT.
THE HAB