METHOD FOR VIRTUAL CHANNEL MANAGEMENT, NETWORK-BASED MULTIMEDIA REPRODUCTION SYSTEM WITH VIRTUAL CHANNEL, AND COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

Method for virtual channel management, in an embodiment, includes the following steps. A command including a keyword is detected. Searching local program data for any program satisfying a first search criterion which includes the keyword is made to obtain a local search result, and searching for any external network video content satisfying the first search criterion is made to obtain an external search result. A program list is generated with a combination of the local and external search results. The program list is presented. If a selection indicating virtual channel addition is detected during the presenting of the program list, the program list is set to be a virtual channel associated with a channel identity code, and program content of the virtual channel is played. While the network-based multimedia reproduction system operates, if the channel identity code is detected to be selected, the program content thereof is played.