A network messaging protocol enabling messages from multiple network devices to share a single display device is disclosed. The protocol enables a display device to prioritize among incoming messages from different network devices and to prioritize among incoming multiple messages from a single device. The protocol further enables multiple networked devices communicating over an IP based network to share a display device, and also provides the ability for a network device to specify the display characteristics of its message. A display device executing the messaging protocol processes and displays multiple messages from multiple network devices without the need to overwrite important messages or display messages in unreadable sizes.