Patent ID: 8239889

Claim:
A method of transmitting a media program to a user computer, comprising: transmitting a first message to the user computer, the first message comprising an offer to view a special version of at least a portion of the media program in exchange for completion of a survey, wherein transmitting the message comprises receiving identification information uniquely identifying an entity selected from the group comprising the user and the user computer, determining whether to offer to view a special version of the media program based at least in part on the identity information, and transmitting the first message comprising the offer to view the special version of the media program to the user based on the determination; wherein the special version of the media program is offered at least in part according history data selected from the group comprising: a survey history of the identified entity, the survey history comprising a time elapsed since immediately preceding survey responses from the identified entity were accepted, and a viewing history of the identified entity selected from: viewing duration information for the identified entity since immediately preceding survey responses from the identified entity were accepted, a number of media programs viewed by the identified entity since immediately preceding survey responses from the identified entity were accepted, and survey management history of the identified entity, comprising deleted previously accepted survey responses; if a second message is received from the user computer indicating that the user would like to complete the survey, transmitting a third message comprising the survey to the user computer, accepting and storing a fourth message comprising survey responses, and providing the special version of the media program, generating profile information from the survey responses, and presenting a further media program having advertisements selected based on the survey responses; wherein the identified entity is offered an option to view the special version of the media program if: an amount of time elapsed since the immediately preceding survey responses were received from the identified entity is less than a survey time period, and the number of media programs viewed by the identified entity since the immediately preceding survey responses were received from the identified entity exceeds N, and the user has not deleted more than a specified amount of previously accepted survey responses; and if a second message is received from the user computer indicating that the user would not like to complete the survey, transmitting a standard version of the media program.