DirecTV sues Lifetime over Dishnetwork contract

[RVD420]

Looks like DirecTV does not like the deal between Dishnetwork and Lifetime.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6318659.html

Goes to show you what playing hardball with providers works.

 

[cablewithaview]

it goes to show if a programmer doesn't treat the others the same, hell breaks loose. I knew this would come soon enough, I figured a cable provider would have gone after them first. Down in the General Cable Forum, there is an article about a small operator that dropped Lifetime first of the year and still doesn't have it back on as of today. Maybe this will make Lifetime reconsider there pricing structure and be priced more fairly.

 

[Lynskyn]

I wouldn't care if Lifetime went away completely. They should rename it "Lifetime - TV for Miserable Women"

 

[Stargazer]

Looks Lifetime's deal with Dish is going to cost them a bit more than they thought. I guess we have all figured out who really won during the hardballing. Dish got a better deal.

 

[Doctor Bob]

All of these Companies are cutting each others throats!!! It's all about who can make money first... LOL The best part, is Lifetime got caught with their hand in the cookie jar... RONTGLMAO.....

DirecTV: Lifetime Broke Pact
From Bloomberg News (passed on by the LA Times)
March, 24 2006

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-dtv24mar24,1,94200.story?coll=la-headlines-business

Satellite television provider DirecTV Group Inc. has sued Lifetime Entertainment Services, saying the women's cable network reneged on a deal to lure customers from rival EchoStar Communications Corp.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Los Angeles federal court, DirecTV accused Lifetime of retracting a Jan. 30 offer it had sent to about 30,000 customers of EchoStar Communications Corp.'s Dish Network promising $200 if they would switch. DirecTV accuses Lifetime of breach of contract.

In January, Lifetime "approached DirecTV with the idea of offering a group of Dish Network customers a $200 check if they would switch to DirecTV," the complaint said. The offer "was primarily directed to lure away customers of the Dish Network."

DirecTV says it didn't know that Lifetime was negotiating a new agreement with EchoStar at the same time. Lifetime retracted its offer for the EchoStar customers Feb. 3, DirecTV said.

In addition, Lifetime breached its Jan. 8 contract with DirecTV by giving EchoStar better terms than DirecTV, according to the lawsuit.

Lifetime executives declined to comment. Robert Mercer, a spokesman for El Segundo-based DirecTV, didn't return a call to his office.

 

[cablewithaview]

some cable operators where doing the same $200 to switch deal, I wonder how that went? If Lifetime did the same thing to them, then it's fixing to get interesting.

 

[stevo/65]

It is about time! Hope lifetime gets what is coming to them (greedy F@#!$$$).

 

[Stargazer]

If there was a $200 offer I sure didn't hear about it. Hmmm. That would have got DirecTv a LOT of customers. I do not know of many around here that would not have switched for $200.

Is Lifetime really make $200 off of each subscriber or was that a temporary thing to scare Dish into a better deal which would still net them more money? This should be a fine example to any other company that even thinks about getting their hand in the cookie jar. Looks like Lifetime may stand to lose more money or a very little gain by the time they get done with this.

Since Lifetime breached the contract then would that mean that they could cancel their contract with them altogether and get into negotiations again and Lifetime be dropped from their service unless an agreement is reached? What a turnaround that would be with tables turned.

 

[dishcomm]

I wouldn't care if Lifetime went away completely. They should rename it "Lifetime - TV for Miserable Women"

AMongst my friends the channel is disaffectionately known as the "kill your husbnd channel"..
My wife calls it the channel for women's victimology..
Really, this channel is an endless parade of reruns, syndicated shows and grade B Kleenex movies..
I was amazed at the anger surrounding the brief but painful disappearance of this network of tripe..

 

[dragon002]

"lifetime Pms"......lol

 

[Doctor Bob]

Don't blame LifeTime for everything, remember D* agreed to put the "Marketing Screws" to E*, and of course E* was also being shown the same deal to lift up D*s shorts... RONTGLMAO...

 

[Stargazer]

A female that I've been talking to told me out of the blue yesterday that Lifetime was only about killing people or something like that.