ENG-1997 — Page 415

COMMUNICATIONS AND THE MEDIA

Film Industry

Hong Kong is a major film-producing centre. During the year, Hong Kong produced 455 films and videos compared with 657 in 1996. Action films and comedies continued to dominate the market.

Cinema-going is a popular leisure activity. Audiences are offered a good variety of imported and local films. Attendances in 1997 totalled 28 million at 173 cinemas, compared with 27 million and 172 cinemas in 1996. The biggest box-office hits for the year included The Lost World - Jurassic Park ($58 million), Mr Nice Guy ($45 million) and The God of Cookery ($40 million).

Hong Kong has a three-tier film classification system: Category I (suitable for all ages); Category II, which is subdivided into Category IIA (not suitable for children) and Category IIB (not suitable for young persons and children); and Category III (for persons aged 18 and above). The objective is to allow adults wide access to films. while protecting persons under the age of 18 from exposure to potentially harmful material.

Category IIA and IIB classifications are advisory (no age restriction is imposed) and are intended to give more information to movie-goers, particularly parents, in the selection of films for themselves or their children. Age restriction is mandatory for Category III films.

During the year, 1 697 films were submitted for classification, compared with 1 843 in 1996. Of these, 336 were classified Category I (one with excisions), 296 Category IIA (none with excisions), 403 Category IIB (17 with excisions), and 662 Category III (307 with excisions). Film trailers, instructional films and cultural films intended for public exhibition also require censorship but do not need to be classified into any categories. In 1997, 1 697 such items were approved for exhibition.

Film classification standards are kept in line with society's standards by regular surveys of community views and consultation with a statutory panel of advisers, comprising about 300 members drawn from a wide cross-section of the populace. Decisions on film classifications may be reviewed by the Board of Review (Film Censorship), a statutory body established under the Film Censorship Ordinance. The board comprises nine non-official members and the Secretary for Broadcasting, Culture and Sport as an ex officio member. There was no review of censors' decisions in 1997.

Postal Services

The Hong Kong Post Office provides reliable, efficient and universal postal services at reasonable prices to meet the needs of Hong Kong and its international postal obligations. Since August 1, 1995, the Post Office has operated as a trading fund department. This gives it a higher degree of flexibility in resource management and enables it to respond more effectively to changes in markets and operating environment, improve productivity, efficiency and customer service standards and introduce new services to its customers.

In May, the Post Office launched its new corporate identity as Hongkong Post with a logo of a humming bird drawn like a letter 'P', the bird's wings capturing the mark of a franking machine, on a green background. It is displayed on posting boxes and delivery vans and is becoming a familiar sight on the streets of Hong Kong.

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