System and method for advertising a currently airing program through the use of an electronic program guide interface

1. An electronic program guide interface on a display in a display system, comprising:

a first portion for displaying information regarding a plurality of programs currently available for viewing;

a second portion for displaying video content of a first one of the programs currently available for viewing on a channel wherein the video content displayed on the second portion is selected by a head end provider and not by a viewer and is provided without any input by the viewer to select the first program; and

wherein audio content associated with the video content displayed in the second portion is played in response to the viewer highlighting the second portion with a cursor, and the channel associated with the video content displayed in the second portion automatically replaces the electronic program guide interface on the display in response to an input by the viewer while the second portion is highlighted.

2. The electronic program guide interface of claim 1 further comprising a third portion for displaying video content of a second one of the programs currently available for viewing on a second channel, and wherein the video content displayed on the third portion is selected by the head end provider and not by the viewer and is provided without any input by the viewer to select the second program.

3. The electronic program guide interface of claim 2 wherein a first tuner is used to provide the video content displayed on the second portion and a second tuner is used to provide the video content displayed on the third portion.

4. The electronic program guide interface of claim 1 wherein the first portion comprises a program schedule grid comprising program cells.

5. The electronic program guide interface of claim 4 wherein the program schedule grid occupies a larger area of the electronic program guide interface than the second portion.

6. The electronic program guide interface of claim 4 further comprising a video window for displaying video content of a program corresponding to a program cell selected by the viewer.

7. The electronic program guide interface of claim 1 wherein each of the programs is selected from a group consisting of a television show, a movie, a newscast, a sporting event broadcast, or an event broadcast.

8. The electronic program guide interface of claim 2 wherein at least one of the second portion and the third portion is overlaid with a channel logo.

9. A method of advertising comprising:

providing an electronic program guide interface comprising an information window;

displaying in the information window video content of a program that is currently available on a channel wherein the video content displayed in the information window is selected by a head end provider and not by a viewer and is provided without any input by the viewer to select the program;

playing audio content associated with the video content displayed in the information window in response to the viewer highlighting the information window with a cursor; and

automatically replacing the electronic program guide interface with the channel associated with the video content displayed in the information window in response to an input by the viewer while the information window is highlighted.

10. An apparatus for providing an electronic program guide interface comprising:

a memory operative to store data that enables the electronic program guide interface;

a first tuner operative to tune first video signals to enable display of video content of a first program currently available for viewing in a first information window of the electronic program guide interface wherein the video content displayed in the first information window is selected by a head end provider and not by a viewer and is provided without any input by the viewer to select the first program; and

wherein audio content associated with the video content displayed in the first information window is played in response to the viewer highlighting the first information window with a cursor, and a channel associated with the video content displayed in the first information window automatically replaces the electronic program guide interface in response to an input by the viewer while the information window is highlighted.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a second tuner operative to tune second video signals to enable display of video content of a second program currently available for viewing in a second information window of the electronic program guide interface; and

wherein the video content displayed in the second information window is selected by the head end provider and not by the viewer and is provided without any input by the viewer to select the second program.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein audio content associated with the video content displayed in the second information window is played in response to the viewer highlighting the second information window with the cursor.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein at least one of the first and second information windows includes a channel logo.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

the electronic program guide interface further comprises a program schedule grid including a plurality of program cells; and

a moveable position indicator can be used by the viewer to highlight the program cells.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the program schedule grid occupies a larger area of the electronic program guide interface than either one of the first and second information windows.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

a third tuner operative to tune third video signals to enable display of video content in a video window of the electronic program guide interface; and

wherein the video content displayed in the video window represents a third program that corresponds to a highlighted one of the program cells.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the program schedule grid, the video window, and the first and second information windows are displayed simultaneously.