System for transmitting syndicated programs over the internet

Abstract

A system and method are provided for exposing Internet users to advertisements together with the distribution of media content in a manner which is germane to conventional syndicated broadcast agreements. The system includes a processor coupled to a memory device. The system further includes software means operable on the processor and memory device. The software means is operable on the processor for obtaining a user specific set of data prior to distributing a media package. The software means is operable for selecting a number of advertisements from a data bank containing a plurality of advertisements based on the user specific set of data. The software means is operable for combining the selected number of advertisements with a requested set of media content to form the media package. The software means is further operable for distributing the media package. In this manner a regional broadcasting station can preserve its investment in purchasing national syndicate broadcast rights by ensuring regional advertisers a penetration of their advertisements across a regional Internet audience. Methods for performing the same are similarly included.

1 - 50 . (canceled) 
     
     
         51 . A system for exposing a network-connected user to first content together with the distribution of second content, the system comprising:
 a processor;   a memory device coupled to the processor; and   software operable on the processor and memory device for:
 transparently to the network-connected user, obtaining user specific data about the network-connected user prior to distributing a content package to the network-connected user via a network to which the network-connected user is communicatively connected; 
 selecting the first content, from a data bank containing a plurality of content, based on the user specific data; and 
 combining the selected first content with requested second content to form the content package. 
   
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the software is further operable for distributing the content package to the network-connected user. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein the user specific data comprises localizing data about the network-connected user, and wherein selecting the first content includes selecting at least one content based, at least in part, on the localizing data. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the requested second content comprises syndicated media content. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the requested second content comprises live media content. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the requested second content comprises media content that has been previously distributed. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the second content is at least one of audio content, textual content, image content, and video content. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein combining the selected first content with the requested second content comprises combining the selected first content in a manner such that the selected first content is reproducible on a network access capable device. 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein combining the selected first content with the requested second content comprises providing at least one link to a website sponsoring the first content. 
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein combining the selected first content with the requested second content comprises combining the selected first content in a manner such that the selected first content is reproducible during a predetermined break in the requested second content. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 53 , wherein obtaining user specific data comprises obtaining the localizing data from a positioning system having location information about the network-connected user. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 53 , wherein obtaining user specific data comprises obtaining the localizing data from a network provider. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the user specific data comprises at least one of demographic data about the network-connected user, physical data about the network-connected user, and psychographic data about the network-connected user. 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 63 , wherein the software operable for selecting the first content is operable as a collaborative filter for relationally selecting the first content based on the user specific data. 
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the user specific data comprises data retrieved from a device connecting the network-connected user to the network. 
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 65 , wherein the user specific data comprises cookie data from the device connecting the network-connected user to the network. 
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein selecting the first content comprises selecting at least one content based on a predetermined time frame. 
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein selecting the first content comprises allowing subsequently dated content from a content originator to supersede earlier dated content from the content originator. 
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the user specific data comprises driver's license information for the network-connected user. 
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the user specific data comprises credit card holder information for the network-connected user. 
     
     
         71 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the first content comprises content selected from a group consisting of regional content and national content. 
     
     
         72 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein combining the selected first content with the requested second content comprises integrating the first content with the requested second content. 
     
     
         73 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein combining the selected first content with the requested second content is done in a manner such that the selected first content is reproducible in a separate area of a website from the requested second content. 
     
     
         74 . A method of exposing a network-connected user to directed content, the method comprising:
 transparently to the network-connected user, obtaining user specific data via a network to which the network-connected user is communicatively connected prior to distributing a content package to the network-connected user;   selecting first content, from a computer-readable storage media comprising a plurality of content, based on the user specific data;   combining the selected first content with a requested second content to form the content package; and   distributing the content package to the network-connected user via the network.   
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the user specific data comprises localizing data about the network-connected user, and wherein selecting the first content includes selecting at least one content based, at least in part, on the localizing data. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein selecting the first content includes selecting a geographically tagged content. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the requested second content comprises syndicated media content. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the requested second content comprises live media content. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the requested second content comprises media content that has been previously distributed. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the second content is at least one of audio content, textual content, image content, and video content. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein combining the selected first content with the requested second content comprises combining the selected first content in a manner such that the selected first content is reproducible on a website. 
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein combining the selected first content with the requested second content comprises providing at least one link to a website sponsoring the at least one content. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein combining the selected first content with the requested second content comprises combining the selected first content in a manner such that the selected first content is reproducible during a predetermined break in the requested second content. 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein obtaining user specific data comprises obtaining the localizing data from a positioning system having location information about the network-connected user. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein obtaining user specific data comprises obtaining the localizing data from a network provider. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the user specific data comprises at least one of demographic data about the network-connected user, physical data about the network-connected user, and psychographic data about the network-connected user. 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the user specific data comprises data retrieved from a device connecting the network-connected user to the network. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 87 , wherein the user specific data comprises cookie data from the device connecting the network-connected user to the network. 
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein selecting the first content comprises selecting at least one content based on a predetermined time frame. 
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein selecting the first content comprises allowing subsequently dated content from a content originator to supersede earlier dated content from the content originator. 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the user specific data comprises driver's license information for the network-connected user. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the user specific data comprises credit card holder information for the network-connected user. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the first content comprises content selected from a group consisting of regional content and national content. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein combining the selected first content with the requested second content comprises integrating the first content with the requested second content. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein combining the selected first content with the requested second content is done in a manner such that the selected first content is reproducible in a separate area of a website from the requested second content. 
     
     
         96 . A method for exposing a network-connected user to directed content, the method comprising:
 transparently to the network-connected user, obtaining localizing data about the network-connected user via a network to which the network-connected user is communicatively connected; and   creating an electronically transmittable content package for distributing to the network-connected user via the network, the content package comprising requested content and a selected content selected based on the obtained localizing data.