:: media :: Lifetime wants fans to "dump dish"

+ According to a press release by Lifetime Television, Lifetime and Lifetime Movie Network were yanked from the air without warning by DISH on New Year's Eve.

This outrageous action by DISH affects approximately 12 million DISH subscribers, including approximately 8 million women. DISH yanked Lifetime and Lifetime Movie Network off the air, despite Lifetime's multiple offers to extend its contract to keep the networks on the air while the two sides negotiated. The offers were repeatedly refused by DISH CEO Charlie Ergen.

And according to a piece in the LA Times this is due to a contract disagreement.

EchoStar, the No. 2 U.S. satellite TV provider, pulled the Lifetime and Lifetime Movie Network channels from its lineup because of a contract dispute, EchoStar said Jan. 1.
"The contract they sent over called for a 76% price increase," EchoStar spokesman Mark Cicero said. He challenged Lifetime to waive the right to pricing confidentiality.
Lifetime spokesman Gary Morgenstein disputed Cicero's comment, saying the new contract called for 4 cents more per customer than a previous agreement that expired Dec. 31. Negotiations were ongoing, he said.

Either way in response to the dropping of their channel, yesterday Lifetime began a "Dump Dish" and "Take back your Lifetime" campaign, using radio, TV and print ads in Houston, Albuquerque, Orlando, Raleigh-Durham (NC) and Greenville (SC). They have also teamed up with cable operators, which are offering $200 to Dish satellite TV subscribers who switch their service. In addition there were demonstrations and rallies in support of Lifetime in both Houston and in Greenville, SC.