A broadcast management system creates, manages, and streams a broadcast of an event from videos captured from multiple cameras. A video capture system comprising multiple cameras captures videos of the event and transmits the videos to a broadcast management server. The broadcast management server generates a website or other graphical interface that simultaneously displays the captured videos in a time-synchronized manner. A broadcast manager user creates a broadcast by selecting which video to output to the broadcast at any given time. A broadcast map is stored for each broadcast that includes all of the broadcast decisions made by the broadcast manager user such that the broadcast can be recreated at a later time by applying the broadcast map to the raw videos. Using a viewer client, viewers can browse or search for broadcasts and select a broadcast for viewing.

In one embodiment, a method of generating an electronic program guide for a user of an entertainment system is disclosed. The method includes retrieving, by a user computer in communication with the entertainment system, preference criteria corresponding to one or more user preferences describing payment requirements. The user computer receives a plurality of content listings, each content listing comprising a content title, an indication of a content source, and a payment requirement, and a search query including a content title. The user computer also identifies a subset of the plurality of content listings based on content title and the search query, and ranks each content listing in the subset based on a comparison of the preference criteria and the payment requirement of each content listing in the subset. A content entry in the electronic program guide is created comprising each content listing in the subset in ranked order.

In one aspect, a method for managing streaming of video content to a client device includes providing the video content to a content distribution network for storage in a plurality of geographically separated resources of the content distribution network and receiving, from the client device via a packet-based telecommunication network, signaling to have the stored video content streamed to the client device. In response to the received signaling, one or more files are transmitted to the client device via the packet-based telecommunication network, each of the one or more files being in a format compatible with a media player on the client device, the one or more files comprising (i) an identification of one or more of the resources of the content distribution network available to facilitate streaming of one or more segments of the stored video content to the client device, the identification being dependent at least in part on a relationship between a geographic location of the client device and geographic locations of the resources of the content distribution network, and (ii) an identification of an advertising server, the identification of the advertising server being dependent at least in part on a relationship between the geographic location of the client device and a geographic location of the advertising server, wherein the one or more files, when processed by the client device, cause the client device to communicate with the identified one or more resources of the content distribution network and the advertising server to cause the one or more segments of the stored video to be streamed to the client device by the identified one or more resources of the content distribution network and cause one or more advertisements to be streamed from the advertising server to the client device.

Embodiments are provided for replacing media items in a queue of a playback device. An example implementation involves receiving, at the playback device, first data indicating an addition of a first media item to a queue. The playback device determines that the first media item is no longer accessible to the playback device at a later second time. The playback device initiates a query for a media item similar to the first media item and receives second data indicating that a second media item has replaced the first media item in the queue, the second media item being similar to the first media item. In response, the playback device initiates playback of the second media item on the playback device.

Program information is transmitted and received via a communication line, and a scheduling operation can be performed based on the program information via the communication line. For that purpose, a communication system includes a receiving apparatus, a server, and an information processing apparatus which are configured to transmit data to and receive data from one another via the communication line. The information processing apparatus includes an EPG requester and a display EPG receiver. The server includes an EPG request receiver, an EPG request transmitter, an EPG receiver, an EPG converter, and a display EPG transmitter. The receiving apparatus includes an EPG obtainer, an EPG request acceptor, an EPG extractor, and an EPG transmitter.

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, facilitating access to a synopsis of a missed portion of a media program, identifying subject matter in a segment of content in the media program that has not been presented, determining a particular time for presenting the summary according to the subject matter in the segment of content, and initiating a presentation of the summary at the particular time. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Provided herein are novel systems and methods of digital content delivery designed to be easy, instant, and minimally disruptive for the user. The novel systems and methods of the invention can provide the device user with an instant and ephemeral snippet of entertaining media, in a metered presentation controlled by the user. The system is minimally disruptive in that the user can summon a video clip or other media content with a simple input, whereupon a clip is instantly played for the user. Upon reaching the end of the media presentation, the media player window self-closes and returns the user's device to the exact state it was in prior. In this way, a user can enjoy a short, entertaining pause without substantially interrupting their previous activity on the device.

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for avoiding playback of an advertisement by selectively switching between media streams. To this end, a media guidance application receives a plurality of media streams from different sources, switches to a first media stream and plays back a first media asset of the first media stream, and determines that an end to playback of the first media asset is imminent. The media guidance application then determines whether a second media stream of the plurality of media streams is within a threshold amount of time of playing back a beginning of a second media asset, and if the second media stream is within the threshold amount of time of playing back the beginning of the second media asset, the media guidance application switches from the first media stream to the second media stream and plays back the second media asset.

Techniques described herein provide for a live advertising processing engine service to act as an intermediary between client applications and advertising networks. The live advertising processing engine service can provide an interface with which the client can interact, via an application programming interface (API) or directly through the use of a standardized language, thereby allowing client applications to receive advertisement data without the need to be customized to communicate with specific advertising networks. The live advertising processing engine service can further track where, in playback the live content, a client currently is, to indicate to the client—or other application—when advertisement breaks are and/or provide supplemental advertisement information to enable the client to provide a rich user experience.

Techniques described herein provide for a live advertising processing engine service to act as an intermediary between client applications and advertising networks. The live advertising processing engine service can provide an interface with which the client can interact, via an application programming interface (API) or directly through the use of a standardized language, thereby allowing client applications to receive advertisement data without the need to be customized to communicate with specific advertising networks. The live advertising processing engine service can further track where, in playback the live content, a client currently is, to indicate to the client—or other application—when advertisement breaks are and/or provide supplemental advertisement information to enable the client to provide a rich user experience.