Nooooo!!! They took away my Lifetime Channel!!!!!

[bicker]

we have it (direct tv), just wish they would actualy start and end their shows on time! i was forever losing the ends of movies i had set up to tivo, finaly i learned to add at least 5 minutes to the begining and ending of each recording time.

That's almost surely the fault of the specific broadcast network, rather than the satellite service provider.

Bicker, Dishnetwork is awful.

So is DirectTV, Comcast, Time-Warner, Adelphia, etc. I know, because people have complained about them on the Internet. Seriously, there all provide a pretty consistent level of service, and some customers are always somewhat disappointed with each, at any one time.

 

[pixiemomma]

That's almost surely the fault of the specific broadcast network, rather than the satellite service provider.

So is DirectTV, Comcast, Time-Warner, Adelphia, etc. I know, because people have complained about them on the Internet. Seriously, there all provide a pretty consistent level of service, and some customers are always somewhat disappointed with each, at any one time.

 

[lfeikert]

About two years ago, Dish did the same thing with Viacom channels. They pulled Nick, Noggin, MTV, and a couple others that were all owned by Viacom. At the time my daughter was addicted to Dora the Explorer and we couldn't get her on any station. We got so irritated with them then that we switched to Directv. We LOVE Directv and have never had a single problem with anything. I'm just wondering why Dish pulls channels because of contract dispute, but that's never happened on my Directv. Kind of looks like a trend doesn't it??

 

[bicker]

I've read up a bit more on this this morning. Very interesting dispute. It's really funny, because some sources put the headline as "Dish Network ends Lifetime programming" while other sources say, "Lifetime Television Pulls Channels From DISH Network." Still others say, "Lifetime Television is Out, Women’s Entertainment Network is In," which is surely more factual.

In the end, this is a very interesting conflict. Here you have a company, DISH Network, that is obstensibly doing the right thing for consumers, and risking some consumer dissatisfaction with them in doing so, standing up to a broadcaster's efforts to raises prices. The broadcaster, on the other hand, feels slighted by the fact that it gets higher ratings but less money than some other channels -- though I don't see Lifetime making any consumer-oriented points with regard to price. Hmmm...

 

[GoofieRuthie]

I have DISH also, and yep, LifeTime is gone. I really like the channel, but won't be devestated if it doesn't return. I wish they would put the Oxygen channel on and I'd be happy! I've had my Dish for awhile now, but can't remember if I'm still under contract. I may research it and see if Direct would be worth the switch. In the beginning I liked the channels better on Dish. Digital Cable in my area is getting pretty close now too though.

 

[Tina]

It sounds like you folks should switch to Directv. It would be an easy switch since you are already wired for satellite. In the 10 years we've been with Directv, we've never had a single complaint.

 

[GoofieRuthie]

Well, I just made the switch. I did a comparison, and they have the same channels, PLUS the Oxygen channel that I have been wanting so bad. I called Dish to see if I was still under contract and I wasn't. I then asked about a couple of local channels that I wanted (WB and UPN) and it was an extra $1.50 for each channel. When I asked if there was anything I needed to turn in or do if I decided to switch, she asked me why I wanted to. I told her that I could get a much better deal with DirectTV plus have 4 receivers for less than what I am paying now.(We currently have 1 DVR and one standard receiver) She then offered me a dual DVR upgrade for $100 plus $240 to install. HELLO!!! I was looking for a BETTER deal, not a ripoff. So....I should have DirectTV installed Saturday morning. I'm really hoping that we'll be happy with it. I like the sound of their DVR. It sounds alot like Tivo. I will miss the extra 30 hours that I have on my current DVR though.

 

[Tina]

Another cool thing about Directv is the XM satellite radio channels that were just added in November. We were already XM subscribers and now we love having it in the house too. For those that are new to Directv, please be aware that some of the XM radio stations have extreme language so you may want to lock them if you have kiddos. Enjoy your new Directv!!

 

[Chuck S]

I don't have any satellite TV service, but by reading the posts, I would tend to think the bulk of the problem is with Dish Network...we have basic cable, and even so there are often local channels saying "call Dish Network" to continue getting this channel", so evidently, discontinuing a channel, even temporarily, is part of their negotiating strategy...but it sure would drive me nuts as a consumer.

 

[bicker]

The difference really is price: DISH Network offers 230 channels for $82 per month while DirectTV offers 250 channels for $94 per month. $12 per month matters to many people, especially if they don't care much about the 20 channels that DirectTV offers that DISH Network doesn't. (Comcast offers around 200 channels for $95 per month, so that's even more expensive than either.)

 

[Shelby5514]

We have been a DISH subscriber since 1997 and wouldn't switch to Comcast for anything. While I did enjoy Lifetime, I would not pay extra to have it.

 

[bicker]

DISH is going to try to get Lifetime to lower their price, so they can carry the network again.

(BTW: Lifetime is partially owned by Disney.)

 

[BrerLizzie]

I just want my Strong Medicine on Sunday
I think we're still under contract with dish, so no quick switch for us.

 

[nativetxn]

I have Comcast. Fortunately, I still have Lifetime. Wilgus refuses to watch but luckily I have another television available. I would miss Lifetime terribly.

Katholyn