ENG-2019 — Page 333

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Media and Communications

The News Sub-division operates a 24-hour media enquiry service. During typhoons and other emergencies, the ISD's Combined Information Centre coordinates responses to media enquiries and disseminates information and public announcements.

The Government News and Media Information System gives journalists online access to press releases, photographs and video clips through a single interface. All press releases are available on the internet, while major government press conferences and events, including the Chief Executive's annual Policy Address and the Financial Secretary's Budget Speech, are webcast live.

The news.gov.hk website publishes government news and information daily in a dynamic multimedia fashion. Over 6,240 news and feature stories and some 1,760 video highlights were posted in 2019. News items and messages are also disseminated through smartphones, mobile devices and social media, including Facebook, Instagram, WeChat, Twitter and YouTube. More than 360 million page views were recorded in 2019.

The Media Research Sub-division keeps the government informed of public opinion expressed in the mass news media and social media platforms. It produces daily media analyses reflecting public views and editorial comments in the Chinese and English newspapers as well as special reports on subjects of interest to the government.

Publicity and Promotions Division

The division helps bureaus and departments mount publicity campaigns and promotion drives and is responsible for advertising, creative design, photography, videography and the production of a range of government publications. Major local campaigns conducted or supported by the division in 2019 included the HKSAR Government's Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), HKSAR Government's Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Reform and Opening Up of the Country, Voluntary Health Insurance Scheme, Next Generation Smart Identity Card System project and the territory-wide identity card replacement exercise, 2019 District Council Election, voter registration, 'Treasure Hong Kong, our home, environmental protection, road safety and the fight against crime.

The division also helps organise major promotional activities such as exhibitions, cultural performances, film festivals and media partnerships overseas and in the Mainland. In 2019, the division was actively involved in the preparation and operation of the Hong Kong Exhibition Area in the China Pavilion of the second China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November.

The division handles over 2,300 titles and produces a wide variety of government publications, including this yearbook and its internet version. Each year, the division distributes a large number of free publications, including fact sheets, brochures and posters. The division sells photographs at the Photo Library and via an online photo sales system which gives the public easy access to the department's substantial archive of historical and topical photos. Through its sales outlet and online bookstore, over 45,000 government books and miscellaneous printed items were sold in 2019.

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