restrictions imposed by Government watchdogs.

The Broadcast Commissioners have called for major cuts to the length of the video, "AIDS: What You Haven't Been Told,'' imported from the United States, before it is shown on TV.

And the Christian Coalition, which has been showing the video in churches around the Island, has promised to make "its own cuts'' for the Commissioners.

But AIDS campaigner Mr. Martin Smith said he was horrified by the video and said it would never be aired on television in Bermuda.

The Christian Coalition and the Valiant Ex-Gay Ministry, who have been involved in marches against the repeal of the anti-gay sex law, brought in the video from the US.

They approached both television stations but the Bermuda Broadcasting Company decided to play safe and take the video to the Commissioners.

Yesterday they published their report which said: "The Commissioners are satisfied that the programme in its present format is not suitable for broadcasting in Bermuda.'' It went on to say that the video might be suitable if it was edited to 60 minutes; it is factual and accurate; and it would only be broadcast between midnight and 5 a.m. All such conditions were subject to the final approval of the Commissioners.

Spokesman for the Christian Coalition Mr. Ouemonde Brangman said: "There is this question about the programme being factual. It is factual.

"Although it does not say it, I have been told that they have queried a certain section of the tape which deals with the Man-Boy Love Association.

This is an integral section of the homosexual community although it has tried to distance itself.'' Mr. Brangman said that this segment of the 75-minute tape was the only part the Commissioners wanted to remove. "I am not going to delete it. There is no way we will put out the video without that part, because it is factual.

"I will make my cuts to make the tape 60 minutes long and present that to the Commissioners for approval. If they do not approve it we will continue to show it privately.'' Mr. Brangman admitted the video was hard hitting but pointed out that it had been aired on public broadcast stations in he United States. He said a lot of the footage had gone out on news programmes.

"The video is not gay bashing. It shows the homosexuals are actually the ones doing the bashing. They are bashing the churches and the politicians. It is their agenda.'' Mr. Brangman said he was surprised that the video was being banned while AIDS commercials were allowed on TV and pamphlets at schools which, he said, promoted homosexuality.

Mr. Smith, who set up the Allan Vincent Smith Foundation in memory of his son, who died as a result of AIDS, was pleased with the decision of the Commissioners.

He said: "I saw this video and I was horrified with what I saw. I wrote to the Commissioners suggesting that they look at it because I felt it was contrary to broadcasting regulations.

"The video is not about AIDS at all. To represent this as an AIDS video is completely misleading to the public.'' Mr. Smith said even the opening format of the video gave viewers an idea of what was coming next. Other titles included: "What You Did Not Know About the Mormon Church,'' "How the Jehovah's Witnesses Really Operate'' and "How the Seventh Day Adventists Raise their Money.'' The first quarter of the video deals with disease control and medical talk, which Mr. Smith says is out of date and probably recorded between 1985 and 1987.

"It wouldn't be so bad if they just showed that part, but the rest is nothing but gay bashing,'' he complained.

"I do not know how they are going to edit it down to 60 minutes. I do not believe it is going to be shown.

"I believe the BBC has shown a responsible attitude in sending this to the Commissioners. I am not against people having their freedom of speech but responsible broadcasting has to prevail.''