Abstract: The present invention is applied to a system in which a distributing side has a video contents storing apparatus, an advertising contents storing apparatus, and a transmitting apparatus, and a viewing side has a set top box. When advertising contents are inserted into video contents, the video contents and the advertising contents are respectively and independently managed at a distributing side, and the advertising contents are selectively inserted into the video contents at the distributing side and the viewing side.

Abstract: A search server includes readout unit for searching a search database, which stores guide information and viewing results for contents items each of which is composed of video and audio, in response to a search request in which search conditions including at least a keyword transmitted are specified from a viewer terminal over a network to thereby read out guide information for at least one contents item that satisfies the search conditions, and transmitter for transmitting to the requesting viewer terminal the read guide information for the at least one contents item and display order priority based on the viewing results for the contents item.