ENG-1976 — Page 241

THE MEDIA

169

The news division also operates an enquiry desk which deals day and night with queries, primarily from journalists, on various aspects of government work. A comprehensive press and reference library is maintained, which is used daily by many local and overseas journalists and by students.

During typhoons, severe rainstorms, or any other emergency, the division is quickly transformed into a communications centre manned by teams of officers work- ing in shifts to keep the public informed, through the media, of up-to-the-minute developments. Liaison officers are also deployed to key departments directly involved to ensure an uninterrupted flow of information.

The GIS publicity division consists of three sub-divisions: publicity and market- ing, creative, and editorial and publications. Publicity and marketing sub-division handles the promotion of campaigns and the distribution of all publicity materials. Major publicity campaigns during the year included those on road safety, fire preven- tion, the methadone_detoxification programme, and police recruitment. On behalf of the Urban Council, the sub-division also conducted clean beaches and clean buildings campaigns. The creative sub-division is responsible for all government films and photographic work, and also all design and display services.

Editorial and publications sub-division produces the Hong Kong yearbook and a wide variety of government publications, which in 1976 included a booklet and several leaflets for the Commonwealth Finance Ministers' Meeting. Government publications for sale now number more than 2,000 titles and there are more than 80 sales outlets for these publications. The overseas publicity unit promotes Hong Kong abroad by supplying information and a variety of material direct to the media in other countries and also by helping overseas journalists and film-makers visiting Hong Kong.

The public relations division as part of its responsibilities advises the government on public opinion as expressed in the news media and introduced in 1976 a new venture, a tabloid newspaper called the GIST. This review of the Chinese language media is prepared in English each morning and summarises comments made, and news items reported, by the Chinese newspapers and by the Chinese channels of television and radio. It is distributed to all senior officers of the government, enabling them to see at a glance what the media are saying and with what emphasis. Publication and distribution of the Hong Kong News Digest continues fortnightly for the Hong Kong Chinese overseas throughout the world.

An information and public relations unit was set up in the Civil Aviation Department during the year, bringing the total number of departmental information units to 15. Several units, notably those of the Housing Authority and the Public Works Department, were expanded in order to improve further the two-way com- munication between the departments and the public.

The information section of the Hong Kong Government Office in London works in collaboration with the Government Information Services. The section keeps the British media informed of all newsworthy developments in Hong Kong which come within the sphere of the government. It does this through a private national teleprinter network direct to newspapers, magazines and radio editors; through in-depth news