ENG-2004 — Page 450

388 Communications, the Media and Information Technology

bodies such as the Hong Kong Advertisers Association, the Hong Kong Press Council, the Hong Kong Journalists' Association and the Hong Kong Public Relations Professionals' Association.

Information Policy

The Secretary for Home Affairs has overall responsibility for policy formulation on information and related matters, while the Director of Information Services advises the Government on the presentation of its policies, and on public relations matters generally, in Hong Kong and overseas. The main aims are to ensure an open exchange of information in the community, to keep the media fully informed of the Government's plans, policies and activities, and to promote Hong Kong's image abroad.

Information Services Department

The Information Services Department (ISD) serves as the Government's public relations consultant, news agency, publisher and advertising agent. It provides the link between the Administration and the media and, through the latter, enhances public understanding of government policies, decisions and activities.

The department is organised into four divisions: Local Public Relations, Publicity and Promotions, Public Relations Outside Hong Kong, and Administration. At year- end, it had a staff of 460, of whom 282 were Information Grade officers. A significant number of these information officers 175

operate outside ISD headquarters to provide information, publicity and public relations services to policy bureaux and their departments.

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The ISD has been progressively implementing an information system to improve the quality of its services through computer links. It issues press releases to news organisations through the computerised Government News Information System and to the public through the Government Information Centre (GIC) (www.gov.hk), the Government's Internet home page. The GIC also provides links to more than 150 home pages of government agencies and related organisations. The Digital Photo System allows news organisations to search online and download government photographs round-the-clock.

Major government press conferences and briefings - particularly those given by the Chief Executive, the Chief Secretary for Administration and the Financial Secretary - are webcast live on the Internet, and the proceedings kept for reference in a video archive that is accessible through the GIC. Major events such as the annual Policy Address by the Chief Executive and the Budget Speech by the Financial Secretary are also webcast live in Chinese and English.

During 2004, the Government's e-bulletin, news.gov.hk, posted almost 7 900 news stories and features. It also developed and posted dozens of short videos to its Reel HK page, and about 100 new image collections to its Photo Gallery page. Visitors to the site can sign up to receive free daily e-mails of news summaries,

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