Pay and specialty channels continued to enjoy good health last year, according to a recent CRTC report that shows an across-the-sector earnings jump of 31.5%, to $549.9 million, and a revenue boost of 6.3% to almost $2.2 million over 2004.

The numbers come from the CRTC’s annual analysis of pay, pay-per-view and specialty channels, which tracks recent and year-over-year financial performance.

The feds credit the boost in part to subscriber growth, though the report also notes that 2005 advertising revenue also went up 8.7% to $751.3 million.

Cable continued to lead direct-to-home satellite systems, posting revenues just shy of $1 billion, though satellite revs climbed slightly faster, at 6.2%, to $460.7 million. Cable revenue rose by 4.2% in ’05.

For the first time, the CRTC also reported on production and acquisition spending by the channels. It shows that, for Canadian programming, the pays and specialties put $162 million into drama, $128.4 million into news and $206 million into ‘other informational programming.’ The channels also spent $116.9 million on sports, $38.3 million on musical and variety shows and $45 million on general-interest programming.

Since 2000, revenues for the channels have risen 10% per year, while earnings before interest and taxes rose 19.4%.