Archives - Details
Record ID
HKRS70
Title
Press Library Files
Date
1887 - 1998
Level
Series
Archival History
Series retained in custody of Information Services Department until transferred to PRO.
Creating Agency
Information Services Department, News
Transferring Agency
Information Services Department, News
Administrative / Biographical History
A Public Relations Office was established during the period of British Military Administration, September 1945 - April 1946. On resumption of civil administration, a Public Relations Officer was appointed on 1.6.1947in the Colonial Secretariat. The principal functions of the Office were liaison with the press, to act as a government news agency and to inform government of public opinion. In 1949 the Office became responsible for film censorship and for Radio Hong Kong from 1.4.1951. Following a review of its activities in 1950, the Office was reorganised in stages. In 1953 it comprised 4 sections including a Press Section. It was renamed the Information Service Department in 1959 and the position of Public Relations Officer was changed to Director from 19.6.1959. In the same year the Department was reorganised into the Press and Publicity Division. The Press Division was renamed the News Division which, in 1981, was merged with the Public Relations Division to form the Press and Public Relations Division. Further restructuring occurred in 1983 creating 4 new Divisions including a News Division. With effect from 21.2.1992 the Department was divided into 2 units: the Local and Administrative Wing which included the News Division, and the Overseas Public Relations Wing. From 2.8.1993 the Department consisted of a single Wing until a second Wing was re-established in November 1995. The two Wings were the Public Relations Wing, including the News and Media Research Division, and the Overseas Wing.
Scope and Content
The series comprises press releases and press cuttings on a wide variety of subjects relating to Hong Kong. These include Kai Tak airport, anti-corruption measures, visits by British Members of Parliament and the Royal Family, budget debates, resettlement, prisons, 1952 and 1967 riots, trade fairs, industry, banks, water supplies, bus services, gambling, homosexuality, labour disputes, government departments, Chinese festivals, traffic problems, antiquities, pollution and local personalities. The subject of each file is entered in the top right margin.
Physical Description
Manila folders, 35.5 x 22 x 0.25-2.5 cm. Papers fastened by Treasury tags. Soft cover files enclosed in hard cover folders with a raised subject tab on the right hand edge.
Accruals
Yes
Arrangement System
Files, allphabetical according to subject. Within each file the contents are generally in chronological order with the earliest papers at the bottom.
Conditions Governing Access
Public Records (Access) Rules 1996
Language and Scripts
English and Chinese
Finding Aids
Index of Government Information Service Press Files
Note
The descriptive information is mainly transcribed from the Series Identification Sheet in 2000.