Patent ID: 8370870

Claim:
A method for use in providing content to a viewer, comprising: providing a service comprising an on demand video service and an online community to the viewer, wherein the on demand video service provides the viewer an option to view a plurality of items of video content; collecting and storing viewer information including viewer information provided by the viewer; compensating the viewer, as determined based on an amount of information obtained for the viewer, a first reward for having viewed a first item of video content, wherein the first item of video content does not include an advertisement, and wherein compensation varies depending on the amount of information obtained for the viewer; compensating the viewer, as determined based on the amount of information obtained for the viewer, a second reward for accessing the online community; maintaining an accounting of the first and second rewards and corresponding viewer identification; providing the viewer a redemption option comprising redeeming at least one of the first and second rewards as payment towards purchasing at least one of a product and a service; serving an advertisement with content provided by the service; and the redemption option further comprising redeeming the at least one of the first and second rewards with a provider of the advertisement, and wherein the provider of the advertisement is reimbursed for the redemption of the at least one of the first and second rewards with additional advertisement slots.