A media device includes: a microphone for recording a television; a memory having the important content; and a processor to: instruct the microphone to record audio data while the television is operating in a primary mode and store in the memory; instruct the television to switch operation from the primary mode to an important content mode; provide the important content to the television; subsequently instruct the television to switch from the important content mode to the primary mode using a primary protocol; instruct the microphone to record subsequent audio data; determine whether the television switched from the important content mode to the primary mode based on the initial audio data and the subsequent audio data; and instruct the television to switch from the important content mode to the primary mode using a secondary protocol when it is determined that the television has not switched.