Communications, the Media and Information Technology 335
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 comprises four divisions: Local Public Relations, Publicity and Promotions, Public Relations Outside Hong Kong, and Administration.
Local Public Relations Division
The division oversees the work of Information Grade officers seconded to government bureaux and departments. They serve as Press Secretaries to Principal Officials or work in the 34 bureau and department information and public relations units. They help formulate and implement public relations and publicity strategies, advise their bureau or department heads on public relations matters, answer media enquiries and questions from the public, prepare press releases, and organise press conferences and special promotional activities.
The News Sub-division operates a 24-hour press enquiry service. During typhoons, major disasters and other emergencies, ISD will activate its Combined Information Centre to co-ordinate responses to media enquiries and disseminate information and public announcements.
The Government News and Media Information System (GNMIS) channels press releases, photographs and video clips through a single system accessible to journalists on the Internet.
All press releases are also uploaded onto the Internet at www.info.gov.hk/gia. In addition, major government press conferences and events, including the annual Policy Address by the Chief Executive and the Budget Speech by the Financial Secretary, are webcast live on the Internet.
The Government's electronic bulletin, news.gov.hk, serves as a communications channel to enhance ties between the Government and the media, business, industry, academia and the community, presenting news and information throughout the day, seven days a week, in a dynamic multimedia format. By year-end, news.gov.hk had posted 8 265 news and features stories. It had also developed and posted dozens of short videos to its Reel HK page, and added more than 81 new image collections to its Photo Gallery page. Visitors to the site may sign up for free daily e-mails of news summaries, weekly City Life alerts and HK for Kids updates. The e-bulletin now has about 9 600 subscribers.
The e-bulletin attracted about nine million visitors and more than 122 million page views during 2008.
The Media Research Sub-division keeps the Government informed of public opinion expressed in the news media. It produces daily reports summarising news and editorial comments in the Chinese and English press as well as radio phone-in
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