Abstract: Aspects of the invention are directed to using subtitles for purposes other than viewing them on a display screen overlaid on the sub-title's corresponding content. While watching television with sub-titles activated, a terminal user may be offered a short-cut and/or one or more options which will use a current (or recently occurring) subtitle for other purposes. A user may be given an opportunity to use the subtitle text for sending the subtitle as message, storing the subtitle as a calendar note, etc. In accordance with another embodiment, subtitles of media content running in the background on a media content receiver terminal may be scanned based on configurable criteria input by a user. If there is a match, the user will be notified via an alarm and may change to the media channel on which the match was found.