In the wake of the crtc's ground-breaking Eligible Services Lists decision, vision.com is expected to announce a third tier of specialty services complete with new u.s. cable channels before the end of the month.

Officially, the marketing plan is being cited for the delay to Oct. 17 of the new package launch. But more likely the cause is the inking of distribution deals with some of the 19 new American networks granted access to the Canadian market last month in a commission decision which left broadcasters and cablecasters on the whole, stunned. "Genuinely flabbergasted is about right," says Life Network and HGTV Canada president Juris Silkans. Discovery Channel president Trina McQueen concurs, but says in the aftermath, she's more "discouraged and confused."

The decision is being widely heralded as a reversal of the long-standing regulatory philosophy that Canadian initiatives take precedence over foreign fly-ins and is leaving behind questions about what the rules are.

"We take on cultural obligations which may not be in the best interest of the business plan," says McQueen. "In return, we believe the system licenses a supportive structure. I don't understand now what the policy framework is or what is expected from the Canadian specialty channels."

The issue will surface in November when crtc hearings incorporate a discussion of how to calibrate Canadian programming commitments in an escalating competitive environment.

At the other end of the spectrum, flabbergasted but ecstatic, are the cablecos which are limited only by tiering and linkage rules in terms of which channels they can add to the analog system. Speculation has it there may be as many as four u.s. services in the pack along with Global Television Network's Prime tv, which at Playback press time was back at the negotiating table.

Likely suspects from the u.s. list include Black Entertainment Television, a stripcom and music video service Rogers Communications is already on the record supporting. Given the cablecos' emphasis on brand identity, the Golf Channel may be a priority, although all is grist for the rumor mill until vision.com makes an announcement as early as the week of Aug. 25. Family Channel may add to the lineup, pulled out of the pay package and into the tier.

Among the conundrums triggered by the Eligible Services Lists decision is the status of the approximately two dozen new specialty channel applications ­ 12 English-language and 12 French-language ­ either already filed or in process to meet the Sept. 30 deadline for submissions.

Discovery's parent company NetStar Communications is pitching for the Health Network. America's Health Network made the list. "Then they have to decide whether to license two of the same type of service? I don't know how this works and we're back to the major issue which is policy framework," says McQueen.

Also potentially hampered by the decision is Life's long-term expansion strategy via agreements with Television Food Network, FiT tv and America's Health Network.