Method and apparatus for programme generation and classification

A method for generating a programme for presentation to a user such that the presented programme is made up from a sequence of programme elements each of which is a programme clip taken from at least one distributed programme and each of which represents an event. Each programme element is classified on the basis of the event represented by the programme element. Each programme element is stored with at least one associated programme element classification code, and each classification code identifies a class to which the event represented by the associated programme element has been allocated. A programme is assembled for presentation to the user by selecting at least one programme classification code, and generating an assembled programme in the form of a sequence of programme elements associated with the at least one programme classification code. Programme elements are classified using a set of event classes including a plurality of subsets of the event classes. Classification of each programme element comprises a classification operator malting at least one selection from at least one of the subsets, said selection determining at least one of the subsets from which future selections can be made. The at least one selection generates the classification code associated with the programme element.