Interactive content guide for television programming

An interactive program guide system comprising:

• a plurality of objects associated with selectable media items at a first level of magnification displayed on a television;
• a first selection input;
• a zoom-in function for zooming in, based on said first selection input, on at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items by progressively scaling and displaying oh said television said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items to provide a visual impression of movement of said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items toward an observer;
• wherein, after said zoom-in function is actuated, said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items is displayed on said television at a second level of magnification, wherein said second level of magnification is greater than said first level of magnification;
• a second selection input;
• a zoom-out function for zooming out, based on said second selection input, from said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items by progressively scaling and displaying on said television said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items to provide a visual impression of movement of said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items away fromsaid observer;
• and
• wherein said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items are displayed on said television after said zoom-out function is actuated at said first level of magnification.

A tangible computer-readable medium containing instructions embedded thereon which, when executed on a computer, perform the steps of:

• displaying a plurality of objects associated with selectable media items at a first level of magnification on a television;
• receiving a first selection input;
• zooming in, based on said first selection input, on at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items by progressively scaling and displaying on said television said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items to provide a visual impression of movement of said at least one of said plurality of.objects associated with said selectable media items toward an observer;
• displaying on said television, after said zooming step, said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items at a second level of magnification, wherein said second level of magnification is greater than said first level of magnification;
• receiving a second selection input;
• zooming out, based on said second selection input, from said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items by progressively scaling and displaying on said television said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items to provide a visual impression of movement of said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items away from said observer;
• and
• displaying on said television, after said zooming step, said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items at said first level of magnification.

A system for providing a user interface on a television comprising:

• means for displaying a plurality of objects associated with selectable media items at a first level of magnification on said television;
• means for receiving a first selection input;
• means for zooming in, based on said first selection input, on at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items by progressively scaling and displaying on said television said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items to provide a visual impression of movement of said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items toward an observer;
• means for displaying on said television, after said zooming step, said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items at a second level of magnification, wherein said second level of magnification is greater than said first level of magnification;
• means for receiving a second selection input;
• means for zooming out, based on said second selection input, from said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items by progressively scaling and displaying on said television said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items to provide a visual impression of movement of said at least one of said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items away from said observer;
• and
• means for displaying on said television, after said zooming step, said plurality of objects associated with said selectable media items at said first level of magnification.