A program guide display system that utilizes a set of hierarchical templates broadcast from a broadcasting station. The set includes a plurality of frame templates and component templates to be embedded in the frame templates. If a user issues a program guide request while viewing a program of a channel, a form of program guide is determined. One of the frame templates which one is suitable to the form is selected. A text describing the program guide of the form is generated by embedding necessary one(s) of the component templates in the selected frame template while substituting variables of the selected and necessary templates with data which are determined by display conditions and obtained from program information broadcast from the broadcasting station. The generated text is passed to means for executing the text to display program guide in the form such a makeup language driver.