VIEWING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide technology capable of performing viewing management of contents, for example, also managing a viewing rate, the number of times of effective viewing, and the like. SOLUTION: A personal digital assistant 41 uses a communication function to access a service station 42 and brows program information such as EPG information. A desired program is selected and recording reservation is selected. Information requesting the settlement of rates is transmitted to the service station 42. The service station 42 to which information such as a number of a credit card is transmitted, settles the rates on the basis of such informaiton and when the settlement is completed, scramble information (key information) for descrambling the program is transmitted to the personal digital assistant 41. In a VTR 43 to which recording reservation information and the key information are transmitted from the personal digital assistant 41, recording reservation is completed according to the key information and the recording reservation information. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI