Information Services Department

The Information Services Department (ISD) is the Hong Kong Government's public relations office, publisher, advertiser, and news agency, serving as the link between the government and the media. It was also commonly called Government Information Services (GIS).

Information Services Department
政府新聞處
Agency overview
Formed1 April 1959
Headquarters2/F, 6/F-8/F, 25/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Employees422 (March 2008)
Annual budget370.0m HKD (2008–09)
Agency executive
  • Mr Rex Chang, Director of Information Services
Websiteisd.gov.hk
Information Services Department
Traditional Chinese政府新聞處
Politics and government
of Hong Kong
Laws
Executive
  • Electoral Registration Office
Legislature
Political camps:
Judiciary
Court of Final Appeal

High Court

District Court

  • Chief District Judge: Justin Ko

Magistrates' Court

  • Chief Magistrate: So Wai-tak

Special courts and tribunals:
Districts
District Councils
Elections
Chief Executive Elections
Legislative elections
District council elections
Foreign relations
Documents
Consular missions in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office
Hong Kong–China relations
Hong Kong–Taiwan relations
Related topics
 Hong Kong portal

History

In September 1945, following the end of the Japanese occupation, the British Forces appointed a Press Relations Officer to communicate with remaining war correspondents. The unit was retitled as the Public Relations Office (PRO) when the civilian administration resumed governance of Hong Kong in 1946. The PRO was renamed as the Information Services Department (ISD) on 1 April 1959.[1]

On 8 June 1963, ISD's headquarters moved from the fifth and sixth floors of the West Wing of the Central Government Offices to the top two floors of the new Beaconsfield House on Queen's Road Central.[2][3]

In the 1970s, ISD launched new social development campaigns that are now ingrained in the collective memory of Hong Kong people. These included the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign, which was promoted using the iconic Lap Sap Chung litterbug character designed by ISD officer Arthur Hacker.[4]

Following the 1995 sale of Beaconsfield House to a private developer, the Information Services Department relocated to the nearby Murray Building in 1996.[5] Today, it is headquartered at the Harbour Building in Sheung Wan. It also once had offices in the Former French Mission Building.[6]

Organisation

The department is organised into four divisions:

  • Local Public Relations
  • Publicity and Promotions
  • Public Relations Outside Hong Kong
  • Administration

Directors
  • Mr John Lawrence Murray (1959–1963)[7]
  • Mr Nigel John Vale Watt (1963–1972)[7]
  • Mr David Robert Ford (1972–1976)[7]
  • Mr Richard Lai Ming (1976–1978)[7]
  • Mr John Desmond Slimming (1978–1979)[7]
  • Mr Bernard Renouf Johnston (acting, 1979)[7]
  • Mr Robert Strong Sun Yuan-chuang (1980–1983)[7]
  • Mr Peter Tsao Kwang-yung (1983–1984)[7]
  • Miss Cheung Man-yee (1985–1986)[7]
  • Mr John Chan Cho-chak (1986–1987)[7]
  • Mrs Irene Yau Lee Che-yun (1987–1997)[7]
  • Mr Thomas Chan Chun-yuen (1997–2002)[7][8]
  • Miss Yvonne Choi Ying-pik (2002–2006)[9]
  • Mr Edward Yau (2006–2007)[10]
  • Mrs Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee (2007–2009)[11]
  • Mr Michael Wong Wai-lun (2009–2014)[12]
  • Mr Patrick T K Nip (2014–2016)[13]
  • Mr Joe Wong Chi-cho (2016–2018)[14]
  • Miss Cathy Chu Man-ling (2018–2019)[15]
  • Mr Rex Chang Wai-yuen (2019–present)[16]

References
  1. Moss 1999, Chapter 2.
  2. Moss 1999, Chapter 7.
  3. "G.I.S. To Change Address". South China Morning Post. 11 April 1963. p. 7.
  4. Healy Fenton, Anna (12 October 2013). "Historian and artist Arthur Hacker left legacy of creativity". South China Morning Post.
  5. "Information flow blocked by bad joss". South China Morning Post. 5 May 1996.
  6. Finance Committee – Public Works Subcommittee (Papers) 8 Nov 95: "Conversion of the French Mission Building into the Court of Final Appeal"
  7. Moss 1999, Chapter 25.
  8. "Senior appointments announced". Civil Service Bureau. Hong Kong Government. 26 March 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  9. "Senior appointments". Civil Service Bureau. Hong Kong Government. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  10. "Hong Kong e-News – 7 February 2006". Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Brussels. Hong Kong Government. 7 February 2006. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  11. "Senior appointments (with photos)". Press releases. Hong Kong Government. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  12. "Senior appointment (with photo)". Press releases. Hong Kong Government. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  13. Nip, Patrick T K. "Welcome Message from the Director". Information Services Department. Hong Kong Government. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  14. "Senior appointments (with photos)". Hong Kong Government. 28 June 2016.
  15. "Senior appointments (with photos)". Hong Kong Government. 6 February 2018.
  16. "Senior appointments (with photos)". Hong Kong Government. 15 August 2019.
Bibliography
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