THE MEDIA
169
During typhoons, severe rainstorms or any other emergency, the division is quickly transformed into a communications centre manned by teams of officers working in shifts to keep the public informed, through the media, of up-to-the-minute develop- ments. Liaison officers also are deployed to key departments directly involved to ensure a comprehensive flow of information.
Another responsibility of the News Division is to produce television newsclips for showing over Hong Kong's five television channels. Two or three newsclips a week are produced in both languages on many aspects of government activity.
Publicity Division
The Publicity Division consists of three sub-divisions: publicity and marketing, crea- tive, and editorial and publications. The various services provided by the division are available to all government departments requiring specialist advice and help on publicity matters.
=
The Publicity and Marketing Sub-division is responsible for co-ordinating a large number of government campaigns on subjects such as crime prevention, road safety, fire prevention, anti-narcotics and police recruitment. The sub-division also promotes the Clean Hong Kong Campaign sponsored by the Urban Council. Other commit- ments include publicity for the annual Hong Kong Arts Festival and for the Urban Council's Festival of Asian Arts.
The organisation of visits to Britain by cultural groups from Hong Kong has become another major activity for the sub-division. A special troupe, the Hong Kong Silver Jubilee Company, was formed to make a nation-wide tour of Britain to mark the Queen's Silver Jubilee Year. The sub-division also was closely involved with arrangements for Silver Jubilee celebrations in Hong Kong.
The Creative Sub-division provides specialised publicity services covering many fields of visual presentation, including displays, exhibitions, posters, photographs and film material.
Extensive use of these services is made for promoting government campaigns, in- cluding the production of public message commercials for showing on television. The sub-division also is responsible for devising layouts and cover illustrations for a wide range of government publications.
The Editorial and Publications Sub-division is responsible for producing publica- tions about Hong Kong and selling those printed for sale. A new series of books under the general title, This is Hong Kong, is now being developed. The aim is to dis- seminate information about features of Hong Kong that have not been widely publicised. Five books in this series are in various stages of production; the first to be published is on Chinese temples.
A new government publications centre has been opened to provide the public with modern bookshop facilities. Publications produced by the government also are available through a chain of outlets that include leading book stores, City District Offices and District Offices in the New Territories.
Public Relations Division
The major function of the Public Relations Division is to promote understanding and to improve the relationship between the government and the people. Its responsibility
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.