A method for assisting a user in selecting a program for viewing or listening comprising periodically receiving and storing electronic program guide information comprising records for forthcoming programs, the records having a plurality of fields; receiving a user selected text string and one more user selected fields; searching the program guide information for records having the user selected text string in one or more of the user selected fields; and displaying a list of the forthcoming programs corresponding to the matching records. This invention allows for more efficient and reliable searches of an electronic program guide for user desired programming.