Method and system for selective initial television channel display

A system comprising:

• a first device and a second device;
• and
• a service providing component configured to:
• transmit content items;
• generate data describing a hierarchical ranking of the content items that is configured to be usable by the first device and the second device to determine channel information for attempting to present one or more of the content items, and is configured to cause the first device and the second device to be controlled to:
• attempt to present, upon initially being caused to present content, a first content item having a highest ranking within the hierarchical ranking of the content items based on the channel information, and
• proceed, if unable to present the first content item, through the hierarchical ranking of the content items in rank order until a second content item within the hierarchical ranking of the content items is presentable, and
• transmit the data describing the hierarchical ranking of the content items to the first device and the second device.

A system, comprising:

• a computing device configured to transmit data describing a hierarchical ranking of content items to a plurality of reception devices;
• and
• the plurality of reception devices, wherein each of the plurality of reception devices is configured to be controlled to:
• use the data describing the hierarchical ranking of content items to determine channel information for attempting to present one or more of the content items;
• upon power-up, attempt to cause presentation of a first content item having a highest ranking within the hierarchical ranking of content items based on the channel information;
• and
• proceed, if unable to cause presentation of the first content item, through the hierarchical ranking of content items in rank order until a second content item within the hierarchical ranking of content items is presentable.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, at a receiving device, data describing a hierarchical ranking of content items that is usable to determine channel information for attempting to present one or more of the content items;
• using the data describing the hierarchical ranking of content items to determine the channel information;
• attempting, upon power-up of the receiving device, to cause presentation of a first content item having a highest ranking within the hierarchical ranking of content items based on the channel information;
• and
• proceeding, if unable to cause presentation of the first content item, through the hierarchical ranking of content items in rank order until a second content item within the hierarchical ranking of content items is presentable.