Bermuda, with two operations running special flights to the popular event in direct competition to each other.

Facing off are Mr. Murray Brown and new kids on the block Creative Associates, which is owned by William Madeiros, David Burch and Larry Mussenden.

Mr. Brown has been organising visits to Sunsplash for a long while but, until this year, his parties have always travelled on scheduled flights to Jamaica.

He decided to switch to charter after rejecting a request from Creative Associates to help it arrange its first ever trip to Sunsplash.

"He probably figured why do it with us when he could do it all by himself,'' said Mr. Burch. "That's his prerogative. Competition in any thing is healthy for the public.'' There's not much to choose from between the two deals on offer to music lovers.

Both parties are chartering a 170-seat Boeing 727 apiece, both will take off from Bermuda on the same date, August 1, and they will return at the same time on August 8.

At $449, Mr. Brown's trip is cheaper by $50 for the cost conscious, although this balloons to $599 for latecomers booking after April 15. Scheduled flights are normally far more expensive.

For extra perks and travel comforts, though, it is difficult to beat Creative Associates, who will supply travellers with free champagne throughout the flight, courtesy of Gosling's.

They will also equip their clients with all-important `survival' packs, specially prepared by John Barritt & Son.

The pack, which was so popular when Creative Associates ran its first ever charter flight, also to Jamaica, last year to follow Bermuda's World Cup soccer team, contains such essential hot-climate items as suntan lotion and sodas. There are also aspirins to cure the inevitable plethora of hangovers.

Creative Associates, which has enlisted the help of Meyer Travel, appears to have recovered from the pain of having to cancel its first ever charter flight attempt, a soccer trip to Antigua, through lack of interest.

Mr. Burch said: "Things are looking pretty good. Reservations are being made but I think, Bermudians being how they are, many people will leave it to the last minute before making a decision.'' * * * TV Is it ethical for VSB and ZBM radio news bulletins to plagiarise stories in The Royal Gazette , rather than come up with items themselves? The answer is yes, according to broadcasters.

Some newspaper hacks have been known to wince when they turn on their radio in the morning only to hear their own words read back to them -- often without attribution.

On quiet newsdays, it is not uncommon for both local radio stations to reel off the first few paragraphs of virtually an entire front page, often without bothering to rewrite them or even check the contents for factual errors.

VSB Radio was censured recently by politicians, along with The Royal Gazette , when it repeated verbatim a much-criticised headline that stated `BIU on Collision Course with HEB.' Mr. Chris Lodge, VSB Radio's news director, said: "Yes, we did get censured but it works both ways.

"Is it right for The Royal Gazette to repeat stories which have appeared the previous night on local television stations? "It is common practice in larger countries for radio stations to quote from other publications.

"In a small place like Bermuda, The Royal Gazette is an institution and itself makes news, especially recently. It is news what The Royal Gazette does or says.'' Bermuda Broadcasting's news director Mr. James McKee agrees. "There's nothing wrong with repeating the newspaper's stories,'' he says. "And we do attribute them.

"It's a generally accepted practice, certainly throughout North America. Even CBS does it.''