A content distribution system is provided to facilitate e-commerce transactions
for products and services associated with distributed content. A content stream
comprising content blocks, reference content blocks and floating reference content
blocks uses metadata to identify products and services associated with content
blocks. The metadata and floating reference content blocks are used to substitute
dynamically selected content for content blocks based on profiles of user(s), the
broadcast station, the advertisement spot defined in the stream and content available
for substitution. A market server determines optimal matches to support content
substitution, and performs brokerage and bidding functions among suppliers of products
or services associated with content selected by users.