A method for automatic selection of video sequences to fill a break in a broadcasted program, including determining an estimated duration of the break (b.sub.i) and selecting from a collection of videos, such as advertisements, a sequence of videos to be played out. The sequence has a second duration which is shorter than the estimated duration and the selection depends on broadcast priority criteria associated with at least some of said videos. The method also includes broadcasting the sequence of videos and broadcasting a fill-in video signal until the end of the break.

In a substitutional media system, one of a set of media items is selected at a programme receiver for output within a predefined programming slot, based on profile data available at the receiver. Sets of the media items are scheduled to slots according to one or more constraints pertaining to that slot and/or to media items scheduled to other slots. The receiver may select a media item for output in a slot by resolving constraints with media items scheduled to other slots, or selected for output in other slots.

A method, system for advertising, and client device allow a connected server to arrange display of advertisements suitable for users of a specific client device in view of their viewing history recorded and provided to advertisement providers. The client device obtains user identification information and user viewing information beyond mere control operations and transmits same to the server. The server updates a user preference information table according to the received data and updates of data, and requests at least one advertisement set according to the user preference information table. The server further performs data matching with a plurality of advertisement data in the received advertisement set to select at least one suitable advertisement and transmit the advertisement to the client device for display.

Systems and methods for optimizing offsite content delivery are provided. A content request is received from a content exchange and multiple candidate content delivery campaigns are identified in response to the content request. A computerized method includes, for each candidate content delivery campaign, determining a resource usage per conversion on a particular content platform, determining a conversion rate on one or more third-party content platforms, and determining a conversion rate on the one or more third-party content platforms. The resource usage per impression is computed based on the resource usage per conversion, the resource usage per selection, and the conversation rate. A particular candidate content delivery campaign is selected from among multiple candidate content delivery campaigns based on the resource usage per impression and the particular candidate content delivery campaign is caused to be transmitted over a computer network to the content exchange.

Systems and methods are provided for presenting an interactive content item matching a user-selected category to a user for a desired duration. A user selects a category and selects a first interactive content item on a media system. The system calculates a total duration of a storyline from the selected interactive content item that matches the selected category (e.g., a genre comedy) and compares the calculated duration to a desired predetermined duration for which the user wishes to watch the selected show. If the system determines, for instance, that the total duration of the selected storyline is less than the predetermined duration, the system identifies scenes from another show and interleaves them with scenes from the first interactive content item to generate a combined interactive content item that satisfies the user viewing preferences.

The VIDEO DELIVERY EXPEDITION APPARATUSES, METHODS AND SYSTEMS (VDE) transform Internet content data access request via VDE components into media content playback at a client device. In one implementation, the VDE may issue a notification or a user interface element to a user after delivery of a process one data from the server to a client; and trigger a background delivery of a process two data, wherein the triggering occurs when the user initiates playback of said process one data.

A method for distributing a shareable video experience among plural video-consumer devices includes receiving a data stream defining the shareable video experience and generating first and second shared video experiences. The first experience is configured for video-consumer devices capable of real-time interaction with the shareable video experience; it includes a first video stream conveying visual content of the shareable video experience and a first set of interface controls, the first set of interface controls being useable by video-consumer devices capable of real-time interaction to modify the shareable video experience. The second experience is configured for video-consumer devices incapable of real-time interaction; it includes a second video stream conveying visual content of the shareable video experience and a second set of interface controls that are useable by video-consumer devices incapable of real-time interaction to present supplementary data in connection to the shareable video experience.

A content scheduling method is provided. The content scheduling method, which is performed by a content scheduling apparatus, comprises acquiring a total play count of target content, determining a plurality of weight values of the target content with respect to a plurality of time slots, each weight value of the plurality of weight values indicating a first preference for the target content with respect to each time slot of the plurality of time slots, generating a linear programming model using the acquired total play count and the plurality of weight values and determining, via a processor, a play count of the target content in the each time slot of the plurality of time slots based on the linear programming model.

There is provided a technique in which a device for capturing an event, and for generating a first stream and a second stream representing the event, one of the first and second streams being a lower quality version of the other, and the streams being generated simultaneously.

Facilitating pre-positioning of streaming content onto communication devices is provided herein. A system can comprise a processor and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations. The operations can comprise facilitating an identification of a first multimedia content stream and a second multimedia content stream. The identification can be based on a usage preference of a defined entity associated with a communication device. The operations can also comprise, in response to a determination that an available network satisfies a defined network criterion, facilitating pre-positioning, at a data store of the communication device, the first multimedia content stream and the second multimedia content stream.