Top > Business > 2006 > January > 2006-01-04

Big Business Mistake by DISH Network

The DISH network just made a bad business mistake. DISH was in the news earlier this year when it removed some popular channels from their line-up, and they have just managed to make the same mistake again. This time however, they ruined the TV watching experience of women across the country. On the stroke of midnight on New Year`s Eve, 12 million DISH satellite customers were cut off from Lifetime Television and Lifetime Movie Network, the two most popular and highest-valued networks for women.

DISH network unilaterally refused to negotiate a reasonable carriage agreement, even dismissing Lifetime`s generous offer of a temporary contract extension to allow women to watch their favorite network through the holidays. According to Nielsen Media Research, Lifetime is the #1 network among women in DBS homes, while Lifetime Movie Network is fifth. In a 2005 Beta Satellite Dish Subscriber Study among all female satellite subscribers, both Lifetime Television and Lifetime Movie Network were ranked #1 among viewers? favorite networks.

Betty Cohen, President and CEO, Lifetime Entertainment Services says, "We value our viewers` loyalty and don`t understand why DISH would take away the most popular women`s networks, especially over a holiday weekend. We regret the disruption of service our viewers are experiencing, but appreciate all of the support they are already showing and we hope DISH network will listen to them and give them back their Lifetime."