Systems and methods for assessing viewer interest in content and advertisements

A system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to perform operations comprising:
• receiving, by a receiving device, an alert over the Internet on a computer network communication channel from a remote server, wherein the alert activates a program for assessing viewer interest on the receiving device to monitor playback modes associated with a media content segment:
• receiving an indication regarding a content playback mode change occurring during playing of a media content segment;
• associating in a database, the content playback mode change with a sub-segment of the media content segment;
• repeating the receiving an indication and the associating the content playback mode change for a plurality of different content playback mode changes performed during or in connection with the sub-segment of the media content segment:
• determining a level of interest of a user in the sub-segment of the media content segment based on the plurality of different content playback mode changes;
• and
• determining a category of interest based on the determined level of interest:
• wherein:
• the media content segment comprises a program for television;
• and
• the sub-segment of the media content segment comprises an advertisement within the same program for television.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program instructions, which, when executed by at least one processor of a receiving device, cause the receiving device to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, by a receiving device, an alert over the Internet on a computer network communication channel from a remote server, wherein the alert activates a program for assessing viewer interest on the receiving device to monitor playback modes associated with a media content segment;
• receiving an indication regarding a content playback mode change occurring during playing of a media content segment;
• associating in a database, the content playback mode change with a sub-segment of the media content segment;
• repeating the receiving an indication and the associating the content playback mode change for a plurality of different content playback mode changes performed during or in connection with the sub-segment of the media content segment:
• determining a level of interest of a user in the sub-segment of the media content segment based on the plurality of different content playback mode changes;
• and
• determining a category of interest based on the determined level of interest;
• wherein:
• the media content segment comprises a program for television;
• and
• the sub-segment of the media content segment comprises an advertisement within the same program for television.