An Internet Video Receiver (IVR) is an appliance for delivering content from the Internet for viewing on a television screen or other device. The major contribution that we have made is to shift the position where advertising is merged with content in the delivery of television services. Previously, content was delivered by a single service provider through a closed medium to many clients. The content and advertising was preselected by the service provider at the server side and delivered to the television on the client side with limited customization for individual viewers. With an IVR, the user can choose content from many independent suppliers from the Internet which is merged with independently supplied advertising in the IVR at the client side. Merging content with advertising in the IVR at the client side provides a new method for delivering a customized television service that can be tailored to individual viewers. Statistical information about content that has been viewed using the IVR is collected at the client side and is sent to destinations on the server side independently of the content and/or advertising suppliers. All information crossing the client/server boundary between the IVR on the client side and independent services on the server side in either direction are transactions for which a fee can be charged.