Bermuda CableVision claimed on Thursday to be "extending an olive branch" to the Bermuda Broadcasting Company — by offering it a free channel on which to show the Olympic Games 24 hours a day.

But the gesture was rejected by the BBC, whose lawyers issued a statement Thursday night saying it found the proposal "unacceptable" as it had invested heavily to gain exclusive rights to cover the games.

The two companies have been at loggerheads this week after CableVision viewers complained that the international sporting event could only be seen on ZBM channel nine.

CableVision claimed the BBC was to blame but BBC chairman Fernance Perry insisted that CableVision should have negotiated the rights to broadcast the games.

Yesterday, CableVision general manager Terry Roberson said it would provide one free channel to its subscribers for the BBC to offer 24-coverage of the games in exchange for access to NBC footage.

Mr. Roberson said if the BBC rejected the offer it would continue to blackout coverage from other networks on its channels, as it was instructed to do in a letter from the BBC on August 6.

"Bermuda CableVision realises the importance of the Olympic Games to viewers in Bermuda and we think that our customers should be able to see as much Olympic coverage as possible," said Mr. Roberson.

"Bermuda has a talented group of athletes representing us in the games and we need to support them in every way possible.

"By law, we are unable to air Olympic coverage from other networks due to exclusive rights held by BBC. Therefore, we are pleased to extend this olive branch to Bermuda Broadcasting Company for the benefit of the community."

A statement from the BBC's law firm, Trott and Duncan, said the offer was surprising "as the Bermuda Broadcasting Company owns the exclusive rights to cover the 2008 Olympic Games. Accordingly the Bermuda Broadcasting Company cannot see how CableVision can legally make such an offer".

The statement questioned why the BBC would want to give CableVision the ability to screen the games at no expense to itself. "The Bermuda Broadcasting Company finds this proposal unacceptable as the Bermuda Broadcasting Company has invested heavily in order to obtain the exclusive rights to cover the games," said the statement.

"The Bermuda Broadcasting Company states that if CableVision is serious about offering further Olympic coverage to its viewers it should contact the Bermuda Broadcasting Company directly and negotiate a formal licensing agreement which is standard industry practice."

CableVision showed this newspaper a copy of the August 6 letter from BBC television programming manager Darlene Ming instructing it to blackout its Olympics coverage. The letter said WOW and Defontes Broadcasting Company had to do the same.

"Failure to do so will result in an immediate injunction being taken out against any or all of these companies suing them for damages," wrote Ms Ming.

Stanley Wright, the president and CEO of WOW, said he was unaware of any letter. He added: "We have an agreement with ZBM to carry the programming. We were never asked to blackout the Olympics coverage because we had discussions with them and an agreement."

CableVision viewers can currently watch NBC's coverage of the Olympics between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and from 9 p.m. to about 2 or 3 a.m., with content from a Caribbean-based media company from 7 to 11 a.m.