Abstract: A computer-based multi-media management system for controlling access to stored multi-media assets utilizing a database, which contains media objects which include video images, still images and text; and a server for enabling the stored assets to be accessed by a user via a communications network, and a taxonomy system allowing a user to access the stored assets, the taxonomy system linking categories of media objects in the database in a hierarchical tree system with each node representing a category, and wherein the management system has, for a selected plurality of media objects as represented by the categories, association links linking categories so that a user can traverse the tree by moving from a first category to a second category which need neither be at the same hierarchical level in the tree or have any form of parent/sibling relationship with the first category.