************************************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:
"Ombudsman Special", a TV drama series jointly produced by the Office of The Ombudsman (the Office) and Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) last year, was rated among the top 20 television programmes in the 2013 TV Programme Appreciation Index Survey (TVAI). One of the episodes in the drama series, "You Be The Judge", also won an honourable mention award at the recent New York Television Festival.
The Ombudsman, Ms Connie Lau, said today (May 5), "The production of 'Ombudsman Special' was the first time that the Office collaborated with RTHK in this way. I feel honoured that our drama series has won this award as the TVAI has been a widely recognised opinion survey since 1998. I must thank the RTHK team for their professionalism and dedication in the production of the drama series, which enabled the general public to better understand the Office's work."
Ms Lau added that the Office would continue to publicise its role and promote its work using various means, such as broadcasting its Announcements in the Public Interest on television, radio and on different modes of public transport, publishing a variety of publications and pamphlets, organising talks and press conferences and issuing press releases. The Office would also strengthen its communications with the public to enhance their understanding of the Office's functions and jurisdiction.
The TVAI is a system of opinion surveys conducted by the Public Opinion Programme of the University of Hong Kong on the quality of local TV productions. It gauges Hong Kong viewers' level of appreciation of local productions with the aim of improving the overall quality of Hong Kong's TV industry. The 2013 TVAI covered 199 local productions shown on TVB Jade Channel, J2, ATV Home Channel, Cable TV, now TV, TVB Network Vision and Hong Kong Broadband Network TV. "Ombudsman Special" ranked 16th in the composite results of separate surveys conducted on over 8 000 respondents at four different stages during the year.
"Ombudsman Special" is an eight-episode drama series featuring the work of the Office as well as the difficulties and dilemmas encountered by both the complainants and the public bodies under complaint. It highlights the administrative inadequacies of public organisations and reflects on the situations and difficulties encountered by people from different walks of life, including their reactions to certain developments in our society. The drama series is also available on the Office's website (www.ombudsman.hk/zh-hk/external_relations/tv_programme.html).
Ends/Monday, May 5, 2014
Issued at HKT 18:04
NNNN
