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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1984
+ THE IR FREEDOM TO MAKE THAT DECISION IS ONE OF THE FACTORS WHICH DISTINGUISHES INFORMATION FROM PROPAGANDA.+
MISS CHEUNG EMPHASISED THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MEDIA IN HONG KONG WAS A TWO-WAY AFFAIR. GIS ISSUED INFORMATION TO THE MEDIA AND REFLECTED OPINION EXPRESSED IN THE MEDIA BACK TO THE GOVERNMENT. +TO BE SUCCESSFUL, SUCH A RELATIONSHIP HAS TO BE RATHER LIKE A MARRIAGE - THERE HAS TO BE GIVE AND TAKE AND A CERTAIN DEGREE OF FLEXIBILITY ON BOTH SIDES.
+BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MEDIA HAVE SPECIFIC TASKS TO PERFORM AND SPECIFIC INTERESTS TO PURSUE. THOSE TASKS AND INTEREST DO NOT ALWAYS NECESSARILY COINCIDE, AND IT IS NOT TO THE ADVANTAGE OF EITHER PARTY THAT THEY SHOULD.+
SHE SAID THAT THE TERM +A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN+ OR +THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN+ IMPLIED THERE WAS A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL CONCERNED. IN FACT, THE STATEMENT PRESENTED BY ONE PERSON, OR IN ONE MEDIA RELEASE, REPRESENTS THE COLLECTIVE WISDOM DISTILLED FROM MANY SOURCES AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. +
THE USE OF A SPOKESMAN PRESENTED PROBLEMS, SHE SAID. +WE MUST ALSO BEAR IN MIND THE FACT THAT HONG KONG IS IN A UNIQUE SITUATION IN THAT CIVIL SERVANTS AT MANY LEVELS HAVE TO PERFORM A DUAL ROLE. ON THE ONE HAND THEY ARE CIVIL SERVANTS, ON THE OTHER THEY HAVE TO FUNCTION AS POLITICIANS
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BUT THEY WERE NOT, NOT BEING ELECTED, POLITICIANS IN THE ACCEPTED SENSE OF THE WORLD AND THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS AND THE NEED NOT TO CONFUSE THE TWO ROLES AND THE NEED TO LISTEN AS MUCH AS THEY SPEAK. IT IS NOT A HAPPY TASK, NOR IS IT AN EASY ONE. AND. WITH THE MOVE TOWARDS A MORE REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG, IT IS NOT LIKELY TO BECOME ANY EASIER.+
IN CLOSING, MISS CHEUNG SAID THAT A NON-ELECTED GOVERNMENT WHICH DID NOT HAVE THE IN-BUILT CHECKS AND BALANCES OF AN ELECTED GOVERNMENT HAD TO BE EVEN MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED FOR SUCH CONSIDERATIONS TO BE TAKEN TO ACCOUNT.
+ THE EXPRESSION AND REFLECTION OF PUBLIC OPINION THROUGH THE MASS MEDIA IS AN INTEGRAL AND VITAL PART OF THAT SYSTEM. IT SUPPLEMENTS THE INFORMATION WE RECEIVE FROM OTHER SOURCES AND PROVIDES US WITH ALTERNATIVE ANGLES AND PERSPECTIVES.+
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