Echostar Communications Corporation dropped Lifetime and Lifetime Movie Network from its Dish Network satellite TV service in a contract dispute with Lifetime Television, the companies announced Jan. 1.

Lifetime demanded “an unreasonable” rate increase of 76 percent for the rights to broadcast the networks, Echostar said. Lifetime refused to offer an extension for continued negotiations, and Echostar was forced to drop the channels when its contract expired Dec. 31, Echostar said.

Lifetime said 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. Instead, Dish did what they have done in past negotiations, pulling channels rather than best serve the interests of women.”