Systems and methods of processing programming wish list data

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory accessible to the processor, the memory storing instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform operations including:
• receiving first wish list data associated with a first user, wherein the first wish list data identifies a program and a first program option associated with the program, wherein, when the first wish list data is received, the program is not scheduled for transmission via a media distribution system based on a published program guide available to the first user;
• receiving second wish list data associated with a second user, wherein the second wish list data identifies the program and a second program option associated with the program;
• determining interest for the program based on the first program option and the second program option;
• determining rank values of programs identified in a set of wish list data based on the interest for each of the programs, the set of wish list data including the first wish list data and the second wish list data, the programs including the program;
• and
• determining whether to schedule the program for distribution as a pay-per-view program or as a scheduled program based on comparing a rank value to a first viewer interest threshold and to a second viewer interest threshold, wherein the program is scheduled as the pay-per-view program responsive to the rank value satisfying the second viewer interest threshold, and wherein the program is scheduled as the scheduled program responsive to the rank value satisfying the first viewer interest threshold, wherein the first viewer interest threshold corresponds to a first portion of the programs identified in a first percentage of a rank-value sorted list of the programs, wherein the second viewer interest threshold corresponds to a second portion of the programs identified in a second percentage of the rank-value sorted list of the programs, and wherein the first portion includes a first particular program that is lower in the sorted list than any program in the second portion.

A processor-readable storage device storing processor-readable instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• receiving first wish list data associated with a first user, wherein the first wish list data identifies a program and a first program option associated with the program, wherein, when the first wish list data is received, the program is not scheduled for transmission via a media distribution system based on a published program guide available to the first user;
• receiving second wish list data associated with a second user, wherein the second wish list data identifies the program and a second program option associated with the program;
• determining interest for the program based on the first program option and the second program option;
• determining rank values of programs identified in a set of wish list data based on the interest for each of the programs, the set of wish list data including the first wish list data and the second wish list data, the programs including the program;
• and
• determining whether to schedule the program for distribution as a pay-per-view program or as a scheduled program based on comparing a rank value to a first viewer interest threshold and to a second viewer interest threshold, wherein the program is scheduled as the pay-per-view program responsive to the rank value satisfying the second viewer interest threshold, and wherein the program is scheduled as the scheduled program responsive to the rank value satisfying the first viewer interest threshold, wherein the first viewer interest threshold corresponds to a first portion of the programs identified in a first percentage of a rank-value sorted list of the programs, wherein the second viewer interest threshold corresponds to a second portion of the programs identified in a second percentage of the rank-value sorted list of the programs, and wherein the first portion includes a first particular program that is lower in the sorted list than any program in the second portion.