A method and apparatus providing network content distribution using a personal server approach is disclosed. A receiving client is provided with a personal server that can select, aggregate, and organize one or more channels of content in a virtual display space of the client. Selection, aggregation, and organization information is stored only locally. Raw data representing content is stored at a logically separate server across a network. Periodically the personal server requests updated content from the server and stores the content in a local channel database. The personal server synthesizes or generates one or more electronic documents containing the content, based on user-defined virtual space specifications and page organization information. The personal server then presents the electronic documents to a browser or other client element. Unlike past approaches that involve distributing fully formatted content to clients, the personal server can receive raw data, replace tokens in the raw data with other content, obtain embedded channel data, and render pages locally, using a conventional browser, without requiring use of a proprietary viewer, and without sending channel selections and other personal information across the network to an untrusted server.