Systems, methods and devices are provided to alert a user of content delivered on multiple channels to events of interest occurring on channels other than the channel being listened to or viewed. Playback of content in which an event of interest or key event has occurred is time-shifted or delayed at the content transmission source or at the user device. Metadata that identifies events of interest in the content is transmitted to the user device. The user device generates alerts to the user based on the metadata in sufficient lead time to enable the user to not only tune to a channel on which an event of interest is occurring, but to do so sufficiently in advance of an event of interest so as to hear and/or see relevant portions of the content leading up to and/or following such an event.