Method and apparatus for providing interactive electronic programming guide

A subscription television system for supplying television signals to a plurality of subscribers, said subscription television system comprising:

• an electronic programming guide listing a plurality of television programs by date, time and channel in a grid format, said plurality of television programs including at least one of a pay-per-view and a near-video-on-demand television program and another television program, said grid format having slots for identifying said television programs;
• a first and a second transmitting means, said first transmitting means for transmitting the television signals comprising said plurality of television programs to said subscribers on a plurality of television channels, said first transmitting means also transmitting to said subscribers said electronic programming guide;
• a subscriber terminal for receiving the television signals and providing the television signals to a user of said subscription television system, said subscriber terminal including:
• means for displaying said electronic programming guide in said grid format and for providing a cursor to highlight said slots for identifying said television programs said cursor being activated by a remote control;
• a first and a second selecting means, said first selecting means for directly selecting said television programs from said displayed programming guide by highlighting said television program slot, said first selecting means including means for directly purchasing after said user highlights said television slot said at least one of said pay-per-view or said near video-on-demand television program from said electronic programming guide by activating said highlighted television slot via said remote control;
• and
• tuning means connected to said display means to tune to said highlighted television program.