Abstract: A system and methods are provided for analyzing user interactions with a media content discovery system using statistical hypothesis testing techniques. As used herein, a media content discovery system generally represents any service that enables users to browse, view, record, purchase, and/or otherwise interact with media content. Examples of media content that may be made available to users via a media content discovery system include, without limitation, movies, television shows, music, etc. Users may interact with a media content discovery system using any of a number of different types of computing devices, including set-top boxes, desktop computers, laptops, handheld devices, game consoles, etc., and over one or more networks, such as the Internet.

Abstract: A graphical user interface for an entertainment system assists a viewer while navigating channels. The user interface is a channel bar which is displayed together with the currently selected channel. The channel bar has a plurality of linearly arranged channel-related icons for navigating the channels. A viewer-controllable focus is movable along the channel bar to permit the viewer to select and actuate any one of the icons, causing the entertainment system to jump to the channel associated with the selected icon. The entertainment system is a computerized viewing unit which has a processor, memory, and a multitasking operating system that provides a graphical user interface environment which supports presentation of graphical windows. An application executes on the processor to provide the channel bar user interface. An input device--such as a mouse, keyboard, remote control handset, etc.--enables the viewer to invoke the channel bar and to manipulate the focus along the channel bar.