Many Americans view the OJ Simpson publicity as unethical

The programme is intended to promote the ex-American footballer's book If I Did It, to be published on 30 November.

It is part of a $3.5m (�1.85m) deal with Rupert Murdoch's broadcasting and publishing companies.

Mr Simpson was acquitted of murdering ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman on 12 June 1994.

During the interview, Mr Simpson describes how he would have carried out the murders at his ex-wife's home in Los Angeles "if he were the one responsible".

It's an insult to my family, it's an insult to Nicole's family, it's an insult to every right-thinking human being Ronald Goldman's father, Fred

Lin Broadcasting and Pappas Broadcasting, which own a combined nine Fox affiliates, have refused to screen the interview on the grounds of bad taste.

Fox TV has scheduled the Simpson interview to air on 27 and 29 November. There are about 200 Fox affiliates across the US.

'Insult to injury'

Ronald Goldman's father, Fred, and sister Kim have left Americans in no doubt about their view of the programme.

Mr Simpson's lawyer Johnnie Cochran portrayed the case as a conspiracy by a white police officer

"It's one more added insult to injury. I can't stand to see him around - he makes my skin crawl.

"It's an insult to my family; it's an insult to Nicole's family; it's an insult to every right-thinking human being," Mr Goldman said.

Ms Goldman said: "The fact that he is going to breathe Ron's name or the Goldman name or Nicole's name in some kind of correlation with how he would have done it - there's nothing that's OK about this whole thing to me."

The 1995 verdict divided US opinion along racial lines, with most white people feeling that justice had not been done.

Mr Simpson was later found liable for the deaths in a civil trial and ordered to pay $33.5m in damages - money that has never been collected.

The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says the civil trial result and American's constitutional freedom of speech rights have enabled people to openly say they believe Mr Simpson is a murderer.

Legal analyst Stan Goldman - no relation to the murdered man - says Mr Simpson is getting his revenge.

"Even if you view this as a confession, since Simpson can't be tried again, he's basically just thumbing his nose at the authorities and thumbing his nose at the Goldman family who he grew to hate during the course of the trial," he said.

Mr Simpson will face no further penalty as a result of the book or interview.

However, our correspondent says the same does not apply to Rupert Murdoch's publishing and broadcasting empire, which has acted legally but in the view of many, unethically.