A video-on-demand (VOD) content delivery system for a digital television service provider manages a database of templates ordered in a hierarchy for presentation of video content elements of different selected types categorized in hierarchical order. The hierarchical templatized displays enable viewers to navigate through a series of displays to the end subject of interest. For example, a viewer can navigate from national product to local product ad, or classified ad category to specific classified ad, or bulletin board topic category to specific posting. In another embodiment, a web-based Content Management System converts video content uploaded online with metadata for title and topical area into digital TV program format compatible with the VOD content delivery system and indexed on a TV program menu by title and topical area.