Embodiments include a system and method of controlling usage of televisions or other media devices, including controlling access to content on such devices. For example, one embodiment includes a method of controlling access to multimedia content. The method includes identifying multimedia content to be accessed, identifying a viewer of the content, accessing data for the identified viewer that specifies a usage quota associated with the viewer and a usage rate associated with the viewer for the content, and providing the content to the viewer based on the usage quota and usage rate data.