A system and method provides a detailed edit schedule for a user's recording device, such as a digital video recorder. The detailed edit schedule can be provided over a network by the user's DVR service provider, or can be provided from a third party. The detailed edit schedule describes various segments that occur within the program. This information is used by a digital video recorder to identify program segments of interest to the user. When program segments are identified, the individual segments are recorded rather than recording the entire program. The program segments can also include commercials matching the user's interests. The DVR keeps track of scenes that the user records and sends the information, along with the user's demographic information, back to the DVR service provider for creating reports for sponsors showing which commercials and program segments were watched or recorded by different groups of people.