ENG-1998 — Page 405

COMMUNICATIONS, THE MEDIA & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

management of information grade officers in the units and ensures effective deployment and utilisation of staff resources.

Excluding those attached to the overseas offices, more than 30 information units operate in government departments and bureaux. They work closely with ISD headquarters on information, public relations and publicity aspects of the work of departments or bureaux. These units play a major role in maintaining the flow of information and helping to improve relations with the public.

Publicity Division

The Publicity Division is responsible for government publications and advertising, promotional campaigns, and much of the government's creative design and photographic work. As such, it is Hong Kong's biggest publisher, and one of the biggest advertising agencies. The division organised 14 major government campaigns and 30 general publicity campaigns during the year. The topics covered such diverse themes as the highly successful election campaign, the year 2000 'bugs', civic education, crime prevention and healthy living.

The division handles about 6 000 separate titles and produces a wide variety of government publications, including the Hong Kong Annual Report and a CD-ROM version which was produced for the first time in 1998. Some 7.8 million copies of a range of free publications such as booklets, leaflets, fact sheets, brochures, posters and government forms are distributed by the division each year. Associated with this output, the division sells some 2.4 million copies of books, photographs and miscellaneous printed material. Turnover from these sales amounted to more than $44.9 million in 1998.

The Government Home Page on the Internet, known as the Government Information Centre, is also produced by the Publicity Division. The site is accessible to millions of users world wide.

Overseas Public Relations Division

The division formulates the government's overseas public relations strategy and co- ordinates all international publicity efforts, including the staging of major promotions and festivals overseas. It monitors Hong Kong's image overseas, provides information and assistance to foreign media organisations and works closely with the government's overseas offices.

Its Overseas Public Relations Sub-division co-ordinates the government's international publicity efforts. It produces and distributes promotional material world wide including books, pamphlets and videos. The sub-division also runs a programme under which journalists are invited to visit Hong Kong to gain a better understanding of the place. It assists visiting journalists seeking information or interviews with government officials and business and community leaders; and maintains close liaison with some 130 media organisations based in Hong Kong.

The Overseas Projects Sub-division plans and implements major promotions and festivals abroad. The promotions aim to further strengthen the economic ties between Hong Kong and its major trading partners, and to promote Hong Kong as a leading financial centre of the Asia Pacific Region and the pre-eminent gateway to China. Efforts are also devoted to publicising the tourism industries, arts and culture and the many facets of Hong Kong life. The sub-division also assists the government's

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