Method and system for identification of pay-per-view programming

A method for identifying an individual program as a pay-per-view event in a program guide, the method comprising the steps of:

• designating the individual program as a pay-per-view event for at least one subscriber, wherein the program designated as the pay-per-view event is available to other subscribers as a non-pay-per-view event, whereby the program is available on a pay-per-view basis to the at least one subscriber and available on a basis other than a pay-per-view basis to other subscribers;
• displaying the program guide listing available programs;
• and
• displaying a pay-per-view identifier in the program guide displayed to the subscriber, associated with the designated program, at least before the subscriber makes a program selection.

A method for identifying a channel to be available as a pay-per-view event within a program guide, the method comprising the steps of:

• designating the channel as available as the pay-per-view event for at least one subscriber, wherein the channel designated as available as the pay-per-view event is available to other subscribers in a non-pay-per-view format, whereby the channel is available in a pay-per-view format to the at least one subscriber and available in a format other than a pay-per-view format to other subscribers;
• displaying the program guide listing available programs;
• and
• displaying a pay-per-view identifier associated with the designated channel in the program guide to the subscriber at least before the subscriber makes a program selection.

A subscriber television system for identifying, within program information associated with services available on the subscriber television system, at least one program within at least one service as a pay-per-view event and allowing a subscriber that does not subscribe to the at least one service to purchase and view the at least one program, the system comprising:

• a headend for processing and transmitting the services and associated program information of the subscriber television system;
• a transmission medium for interfacing with the headend to transmit the services and associated program information available on the subscriber television system;
• and
• a home communication terminal for interfacing with the transmission medium, for causing a display of at least a portion of the associated program information, for causing a display of a pay-per-view identifier in program information associated with the at least one program at least before the subscriber makes a program selection, and for allowing the subscriber to purchase and view the at least one program, wherein the at least one program designated as the pay-per-view event is available to other subscribers as a non-pay-per-view event, whereby the at least one program is available on a pay-per-view basis to the at least one subscriber and available on a basis other than a pay-per-view basis to other subscribers.