ENG-1992 — Page 345

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

and, through the latter, enhances public understanding of government policies, decisions and activities.

The department is organised into two wings - the Local and Administration Wing and the Overseas Public Relations Wing. It has a staff of 539 of whom 364 are Information Grade and 175 are General Grade officers. Of the 364 Information Grade officers, 220 are deployed in government departments, policy branches in the Government Secretariat and Hong Kong Government overseas offices.

Local and Administration Wing

The wing, made up of four divisions, is responsible for News, Departmental Units and Media Research, Publicity and Administration.

The News Division maintains direct contact with the media on a 24-hour basis. It is linked by teleprinter to over 80 newspapers, news agencies, television and radio stations, government departments and other individual organisations. It also has a facsimile transmission system operating to 29 outlets, which is particularly important for com- municating in the Chinese language. The division produces a Daily Information Bulletin (DIB) in both English and Chinese which contains about 20 of the more important press releases on an average day.

The division also runs a Press Enquiry Service that operates round the clock. It has a comprehensive Press Library holding press cuttings and copies of all government press releases and a smaller Reference Library for use by journalists, researchers and students. - The Departmental Units and Media Research Division is divided into two sub-divisions. The Departmental Units Sub-Division co-ordinates the work of Information Grade officers in the Information and Public Relations Units of 30 government departments and Policy Branches in the Government Secretariat.

The Media Research Sub-Division keeps the government informed of public opinion as expressed in the media by the production of a daily summary by 9 am each day called the Media Summary. It also produces special reports on matters of topical and special interest.

The Publicity Division is made up of three sub-divisions. The Promotions Sub-Division plans and implements all government campaigns and publicity programmes to educate the public on major issues of concern and create public awareness of civic responsibilities. Publicity messages are disseminated through films, publications, radio announcements, press advertisements, exhibitions and a host of other promotional activities such as launch ceremonies, float parades, concerts and variety shows. Increased efforts have been made to get the messages across to a wide sector of the community through joint programme production and coverage with the electronic media. In 1992, nine major government campaigns were organised. Some well-established campaigns such as those on environ- mental protection, fight crime, AIDS prevention and civic education, continued to be matters of priority. Several new campaigns, on building safety, voltage conversion, and energy conservation, were promoted for the first time.

The Publishing Sub-Division produces a wide variety of government publications, including the Hong Kong Annual Report. Every year it distributes around six million copies of publications such as fact sheets, pamphlets and posters, and sells some four million copies of books and miscellaneous printed materials including annual reports and government forms. It arranges and places all government advertising in the media.

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