A system for storing content, the system comprising: a memory; means for accessing, at a first time, a first media asset received from a content source; means for determining a length of time the media asset has been accessed since the first time based on a difference between a current time and the first time; means for storing a database in the memory, the database including a plurality of access time threshold entries each with a corresponding access time threshold field and a media characteristic field; means for determining a characteristic of the media asset based on metadata associated with the media asset, wherein the characteristic of the media asset includes at least one of a title, a genre, a category, a duration, a size, a popularity, an asset type, an episode, one or more actor names, one or more director names, one or more character names, one or more awards associated with the media asset, a date associated with the media asset, and a quality; means for searching the media characteristics field of the plurality of access time threshold entries stored in the database to identify a given media characteristic field that matches the determined characteristic; means for retrieving the threshold value from the access time threshold field that is associated with the identified given media characteristic field; means for comparing the determined length of time to the retrieved threshold value; and means for, in response to determining that the determined length of time exceeds the retrieved threshold value: determining whether a user request to access a second media asset from a second content source is received; and in response to determining that the user request to access the second media asset has been received, storing the first media asset in the memory before executing a command corresponding to the user request to access the second media asset. a memory; means for accessing, at a first time, a first media asset received from a content source; means for determining a length of time the media asset has been accessed since the first time based on a difference between a current time and the first time; means for storing a database in the memory, the database including a plurality of access time threshold entries each with a corresponding access time threshold field and a media characteristic field; means for determining a characteristic of the media asset based on metadata associated with the media asset, wherein the characteristic of the media asset includes at least one of a title, a genre, a category, a duration, a size, a popularity, an asset type, an episode, one or more actor names, one or more director names, one or more character names, one or more awards associated with the media asset, a date associated with the media asset, and a quality; means for searching the media characteristics field of the plurality of access time threshold entries stored in the database to identify a given media characteristic field that matches the determined characteristic; means for retrieving the threshold value from the access time threshold field that is associated with the identified given media characteristic field; means for comparing the determined length of time to the retrieved threshold value; and means for, in response to determining that the determined length of time exceeds the retrieved threshold value: determining whether a user request to access a second media asset from a second content source is received; and in response to determining that the user request to access the second media asset has been received, storing the first media asset in the memory before executing a command corresponding to the user request to access the second media asset. determining whether a user request to access a second media asset from a second content source is received; and in response to determining that the user request to access the second media asset has been received, storing the first media asset in the memory before executing a command corresponding to the user request to access the second media asset.