A hosted system provides any Internet user with the ability to quickly set up and customize a video channel, preferably as a web page or site that can be reached from any Internet-accessible device having a browser. The solution includes tools for use by channel site creators to customize look, feel, and page design. A particular web page or site may be associated with a given subject. A page or site that has such an association is sometimes referred to as “subject-specific.” Once a subject-specific channel is created, a site administrator or individual visitors can search and choose to bring those search results into the channel architecture. The system also enables a multiplatform search, and search results may be automatically populated into the channel content. The system enables the characterization of the material returned, preferably according to a user-generated taxonomy.