ENG-2001 — Page 435

COMMUNICATIONS, THE MEDIA AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The Media Research Subdivision keeps the Government fully informed of public opinion as expressed in the news media. It produces daily reports summarising news and editorial comments in the Chinese and English press as well as on radio and television. It also produces special reports on subjects of interest to the Government.

Public Relations Division

The division oversees the work of information units in various government departments and bureaux. It anticipates, monitors and advises these units in the formulation and development of public relations strategies and co-ordinates their work regarding complex issues to ensure consistency. It has responsibility for the overall management of Information Grade officers in the units and ensures effective deployment and utilisation of staff resources.

Excluding those attached to the overseas offices, 42 information units operate in government departments and bureaux. They work closely with ISD headquarters on information, public relations and publicity aspects concerning the work of their 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, publicity 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 larger campaigns conducted and supported by the division during the year covered a wide range of topics from Brand Hong Kong, Fire Safety, Fight Crime, Waste Reduction, Anti-drug, Road Safety, Promotion of Services and Healthy Ageing to Voter Registration and Promotion of the Basic Law. The division handles about 6 000 separate titles and produces a wide variety of government publications, including the Hong Kong Annual Report and its CD-ROM version, which was produced for the first time in 1998. Some five 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 811 850 copies of books as well as miscellaneous printed material through its sales outlet and on-line bookstore. The on-line 'Government Bookstore', developed under the Electronic Service Delivery Scheme, has been operational since November 2001 and well-received by the public. Turnover from all sales amounted to $22.95 million in 2001. Photographs are also sold by the division.

The Government home page on the Internet, the GIC, is produced by the Publicity Division. The site is accessible to millions of users world-wide. Continued effort is being made to improve the content and user-friendliness of the home page as an effective means of communicating with the public.

Overseas Public Relations Division

The division formulates, co-ordinates and implements the Government's overseas public relations and communications strategy. It works closely with the HKSAR Government Economic and Trade Offices to monitor and promote Hong Kong's image overseas. It runs a programme under which journalists are invited to visit Hong Kong to gain a better understanding of the SAR. The division maintains close

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