Advertising templates, and request for corresponding multimedia programs
that are available for distribution to third parties during a time
period, are transmitted to content providers who respond by sending ad
elements corresponding to the advertising templates. Daypart guides
showing particular ad elements are designed for a particular headend and
daypart. Each daypart guide is available to viewers serviced by the
particular headend only during the time of day corresponding to the
daypart. Viewers of the daypart guide select one of the ad elements each
of which is navigationally linked to a display request page for the
corresponding multimedia program from which the viewer can request to
initiate a real time distribution thereof.