1. In an information retrieval system including a server computer and a client system having a display device, wherein the client system has access to television programming viewed by a user of the information retrieval system, a method for inserting an advertisement into a document displayed on the display device, the method comprising the steps of: compiling a profile of the user of the information retrieval system, including at least information associated with the television programming viewed by the user; requesting, by the client system, an information document from the server computer; selecting, based at least in part on the profile and on designated selection criteria, an advertisement from among a plurality of advertisements for insertion into the information document; inserting data representing the selected advertisement into the information document; and displaying the information document, including the selected advertisement, on the display device.