Scoring and recommending media content based on user preferences

A method, comprising:

• obtaining a set of user preference values that indicate program attribute values preferred by a user;
• and
• storing the user preference values in a user preference file (UPF) that is uniquely associated with the user.

A system, comprising:

• a preference file that stores preferred program attribute values that a user prefers in programs;
• a matching engine configured to compare the preferred program attribute values with program description attribute values that are associated with a program available for viewing by the user, and to recommend the program to the user if the program meets a recommendation standard based on the comparisons.

One or more computer-readable media containing electronic representations of:

• one or more preferred program attributes, each preferred program attribute identifying an attribute of a multimedia program;
• and
• one or more attribute values associated with each of the preferred program attributes, the attribute values identifying a value preferred by a user to be available in a multimedia program.

One or more computer-readable media containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform the following steps:

• comparing preferred attribute values that identify program attributes preferred by a user to program attribute values associated with a program available for viewing by the user;
• updating a program score associated with the program whenever a match is detected between a program attribute value and a preferred attribute value;
• determining whether or not to recommend the program to the user based on the program score.

One or more computer-readable media containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform the following steps:

• comparing preferred attribute values associated with a user to program attribute values associated with a multimedia program available to a user;
• recommending the multimedia program to the user if the comparisons satisfy one or more recommendation condition.