THE director general of the International Advertising Association (IAA), Mr Norman Vale, expressed surprised yesterday at the size of Hongkong's advertising expenditure.
He was speaking at the IAA's symposium on advertising and the media in a free economy at the J. W. Marriott hotel.
Last year the territory spent $8 billion on advertising.
''The quality and quantity of advertising and media in Hongkong is very positive,'' he said.
''Media and the advertising business have developed fast here and the availability of media is in direct proportion to sales.
''It's a simple fact that advertising and media need each other, we cannot separate them.'' On the question of freedom, Mr Vale said the physical evidence of the number of publications on news stands was proof of press freedom.
