A smart search menu is displayed on a video display unit, wherein the menu includes an accumulated search criteria list and a results list. A user's selection is input from the menu as a selected element, and, if the user has selected an element of the search criteria, then the information is output to the video display unit. By accumulating the search criteria as a list of search criteria, the user is less likely to be “lost” within the search menus, and may therefore more quickly find desired content within a content database.