Government has been asked to sponsor broadcasts of Bermuda's efforts at the cricket World Cup.

Inter-Island communications ? parent company of radio station Hott 107.5 FM ? has an exclusive deal with CableVision that means subscribers must pay $200 to watch live coverage of all matches.

According to some reports, Government has also agreed to a $100,000 subsidy to meet the cost of bringing the event to the screens of Island cricket fans through March and April.

Although he would not be drawn on how much the broadcast rights ? bought from Caribbean Media Corporation ? cost his station, Hott 107.5 FM President Glenn Blakeney said yesterday: "We submitted a proposal for Government to consider a sponsorship package. It's not a subsidy, it's sponsorship."

Mr. Blakeney, who is also a Government MP, said there had been no official word back yet on the application, which was put to Cabinet on November 26. He explained that, if granted, the unspecified sum of cash would not only go towards the cost of broadcasting the event but also other features linked to it.

Asked whether a successful Government sponsorship bid could reduce the price of the pay-per-view package, Mr. Blakeney replied: "That's not something we are looking at," explaining that TV and radio productions are "very expensive."

Cabinet Secretary Marc Telemaque declined to comment on the application, but said Government would make a statement at an appropriate time.