Satellite TV System Drops Lifetime Channels

Dish Network said it hoped to reach a contract agreement to restore two Lifetime Television channels to its service.

Dish’s customers stopped receiving the Lifetime channels Sunday because Lifetime’s contract with Dish parent EchoStar Communications Corp. expired.

An EchoStar spokesman would say only that “we hope to negotiate a fair contract as soon as possible.” Englewood, Colo.-based EchoStar said Lifetime was seeking a rate hike of 76%.

Lifetime, jointly owned by Walt Disney Co. of Burbank and Hearst Corp., said Dish unilaterally pulled its channels.