Systems and methods for generating multimedia highlight content

User-defined parameters and/or default parameters are used to detect the presence of potential highlights within a recorded version of a full-length broadcast program, according to one embodiment. Locations within the recorded program which satisfy any of the user or default parameters may then be added to a highlight list, which is usable to generate a highlight program. In one embodiment, video packets, audio packets and closed-caption packets are parceled out from the video stream and analyzed separately. For each of the types of packets analyzed, the locations and descriptions of potential highlights may be tabulated. This tabulated data may then be correlated and consolidated into a single highlight list which is usable to access the various identified highlights from the recorded full-length broadcast program, and to present them in sequence on a display device.