A satellite television receiver using a remote pointing device to provide random user access to a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a TV screen. When motion of the user's hand that holds the pointing device commands a cursor to move across the TV screen from any initial position to a position selected by the user, a CPU generates X, Y-coordinates that define the cursor path to the selected position. Cursor movement is displayed by multiple erasures and redraws of the cursor. The GUI may present a graphical channel changer that enables the user to tune an RF tuner of the TV receiver to a selected TV channel by directing the pointing device at the logo of the selected TV channel on the screen.