Canadian pay-TV paying off.

Canadian pay-TV has been buzzing since 1988, when 23 stations were licensed. Today there are 35 specialty channels available.

Sports channels remain the most popular of the pay channels. These include diversified sports channels (CTV pay-per-view is expanding from satellite to digital); a regional sports channel, 24-hour TSN Plus Sports; and Sportscope Plus, a 24-hour features and information channel. Other new channels include The Children's TV Network, CTV NI Headlines, The Comedy Network, The History and Entertainment Network, the Teletoon Animation Channel, the Asian Television Network (which offers regional Asian-language programming on a pay basis) and The Home and Garden Channel.

For an extra $2.75 to $3 a month, TV customers are receiving some channels, while other channels rely on satellite dish systems or await the arrival of digital television.

Broadcasting rules specify that 70 percent of primetime (7 p.m.-11 p.m.) programming must be produced in Canada. The channels are fulfilling this requirement with support from a Canada Television and Cable Production Fund of $73 million as well as support from Telefilm Canada.

Channels like Bravo! and The Discovery Channel (80 percent of which is owned by Netstar Communications of Toronto and the remaining 20 percent of which is U.S.-owned) are now buying more Canadian product. Discovery's director of Programming, John Panikkar, said that 44 percent of the company's budget is dedicated to the development of new programming. Showcase Television, which is owned by drama producers, airs only Canadian product during primetime, according to VP of Programming Audrey Cole, but after 11 p.m. the station airs film festival movies.

Allarcom Pay-TV began serving western Canada in 1995 with its Viewers Choice Canada out of eastern Canada. The company's partners, Netstar Enterprises, Rogers Pay-Per-View and TMN Networks of Viewers Choice, have transferred 40 percent of Canal Indigo into French-language pay-per-view service and direct-to-home.

Said one Canadian TV executive: "Cable operators are much more pleased with the new specialty channels approved. With the installation of cheaper satellite dishes and the interesting mix of cable stations, we hope viewership will improve."