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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

visual publicity. Officers specializing in the making of films and photographs, and in producing posters, booklets and other forms of visual display were recruited and the department was thus able to undertake many new tasks.

Although the primary concern of the Public Relations Office is to publicize the affairs of the Hong Kong Government, the department does everything it can to promote knowledge of United Kingdom and Commonwealth affairs, and maximum use is made of much of the material supplied by the Central Office of Information in London.

Press Section. Two of the most important functions of the Press Section are the compilation of a Daily Information Bulletin which gives news of Hong Kong Government affairs, and the preparation and editing of radio bulletins, covering both world and domestic news, in both English and Chinese, for broadcast by Radio Hong Kong and Rediffusion. The Daily Information Bulletin, which is distributed to all local newspapers, foreign news agencies and correspondents, averages between 2,500 and 3,000 separate items in the course of a year. United Kingdom and Commonwealth news is carried in the London Press Service prepared by the Overseas Press Services Division of the Central Office of Information, from which items are selected and edited for distribution to the local

press.

In addition to written output, the staff of the Press Section deal with the bulk of individual inquiries from newspapermen. Such inquiries have greatly increased in recent years and the many and various requirements of visiting correspondents, broad- casters, television and film units have added considerably to the Section's work.

These services necessitate an almost round-the-clock operation, and Night Duty Officers are available from 10 p.m. every night, week-ends and public holidays included.

Press photographs and other illustrations for press use are also handled by the Section. These include both United Kingdom and Commonwealth photographs supplied through the Central Office of Information and local photographs, which are now usually taken by the department's own photographers. Simplified plans, sketch maps and scale drawings, suitable for press reproduction,

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