Patent ID: 8020186

Claim:
A method for distributing a plurality of programs, the method comprising: generating, at a content provider, a fixed linear programming schedule identifying an order of transmission for a plurality of linearly scheduled programs, at least one of the linearly scheduled programs corresponding with an on-demand program offered by the content provider; transmitting the programs from the content provider in the order of transmission; embedding an on-demand flag in the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs at the content provider to identify the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs as corresponding with the on-demand program offered by the content provider, the embedded on-demand flag being configured to trigger display of a first on-demand identifier while the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs is being displayed; making the on-demand program offered by the content provider available on an on-demand basis; and generating a program guide for display, the program guide summarizing at least a portion of the fixed linear programming schedule and including a second on-demand identifier identifying the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs as corresponding with the on-demand program, the second on-demand identifier being generated according to a presence of the on-demand flag embedded in the at least one of the linearly scheduled programs.