Aspects of the subject disclosure may include obtaining a first media content item comprising a plurality of content segments. For each content segment of the plurality of content segments of the first media content item, comparing the content segment and a prior content segment to identify a content transition, analyzing the content segment to identify a content marker in the content segment, determining a viewing characteristic of the content segment according to the content transition and the content marker, determining if the content segment is unnecessary according to the viewing characteristic, and updating a set of skipping instructions associated with the first media content item responsive to the determining the content segment is unnecessary, and presenting the first media content item at a first device according to the set of skipping instructions associated with the first media content item. Other embodiments are disclosed.