Patent ID: 8812354

Claim:
A method for use in providing content to a user, comprising: providing a first item of content to the user, wherein the first item of content is provided to the user by being broadcast to a plurality of users; calculating, using a processor based apparatus, a first remaining amount of time between an end of a run time of the first item of content and an end of a fixed period of time; selecting a second item of content based on information relating to the user and with a run time of the second item of content being equal to or less than the first remaining amount of time, wherein the selecting the second item of content further comprises both determining whether to increase a number of items of content to be played back within the first remaining amount of time and determining whether to increase a playing time of one or more of the number of items of content to be played back within the first remaining amount of time; and providing the second item of content to the user; and modifying, prior to the providing the second item of content to the user, the run time of the second item of content such that a modified run time of the second item of content fits within the first remaining amount of time between the end of the run time of the first item of content and the end of the fixed period of time; wherein the second item of content is selected from a group of content comprising a plurality of items of content that could each serve as the second item of content.