ENG-1987 — Page 302

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COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

contact with Hong Kong, and The Week in Hong Kong, a newsletter mainly on trade and economic matters distributed to overseas subscribers.

The departmental units sub-division co-ordinates the operation of the 27 information and public relations units in government departments. These units issue press releases, arrange press conferences and site visits and answer many media enquiries concerning the activities and aims of their respective departments. Through these efforts they play a major role in maintaining the flow of information and helping to improve relations with the public.

The overseas public relations sub-division (OPRS) assists in the government's publicity efforts overseas and produces and distributes promotional material, including feature articles and video newsclips for television. Assistance is provided for visiting journalists requiring information and interviews with government officers, and close liaison is main- tained with news agencies and overseas journalists based in Hong Kong. This year, the unit assisted 344 overseas journalists and 72 other visitors, distributed 59 features, and produced 17 video items for television.

The Publicity Division embraces the creative, publishing and promotional resources of the department. Its ambit includes photography and film-making, an extensive photo- graphic library, the staging of exhibitions, the design of books, leaflets and posters and the design and placement of all government advertising. GIS produces a wide variety of publications ranging from leaflets and fact sheets to the Hong Kong Annual Report and other full-colour books. Sales of government publications rose by 21 per cent to more than $27 million in 1987, compared with $22.3 million in 1986. The main emphasis of publishing activity continued to lie with information material for free distribution. During the year some 930 items totalling 8 420 000 copies were given out to the public. These included leaflets advising on procedures for obtaining a wide range of government services, together with fact sheets covering 57 topics, which are updated annually with the latest statistics.

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The Publicity Division also plans and carries out all government publicity campaigns. The Anti-Narcotics, Crime Prevention, Industrial Safety, Road Safety, Fire Prevention and Civic Education programmes continued to be accorded status as major campaigns, along with the Clean Hong Kong Campaign, Issue of New Identity Cards, Electoral Promotion, Safety in the Home, Anti-Smoking, Police Recruiting and Rehabilitation programmes. Two new campaigns were launched in 1987 to promote the easy travel scheme and to alert the public to the threat posed by AIDS. Other topics treated in publicity programmes included Country Parks, Summer Youth Activities and Rabies Inoculation. In support of these exercises, numerous promotional events were organised through mobile exhibitions, live shows, television and radio programmes as well as competitions.

The News and Public Relation Division of the Hong Kong Government Office in London works closely with GIS to provide a press service on Hong Kong matters for the British media and for Hong Kong journalists based in the United Kingdom, and enquiry and information services for the public about events and developments in Hong Kong. It also organises a panel of speakers, made up at present of about 100 former senior government officers and businessmen who have retired to the UK.

The News Section monitors British parliamentary proceedings and media coverage of Hong Kong affairs, and keeps the Hong Kong Government informed on a daily basis by telex and facsimile transmission. It also publishes a fortnightly newsletter, 'Dateline Hong Kong', which is distributed among organisations and individuals with a close interest in Hong Kong.