12. A receiver remote controller, comprising in combination: the remote controller being contained in a remote controller housing containing: a storage device storing an electronic program guide (EPG) database that relates content to receiver channels containing said content; a wired or wireless data interface to a television receiver device that receives the EPG database from an EPG database external to the housing and forming part of or connected to the television receiver device for storage in the storage device; a user interface including a local or receiver display; a speech interface that receives speech input and converts the speech input to a speech signal; a remote controller processor that determines under program control that the speech input is to be interpreted as an EPG query; a natural language speech processor engine receiving the speech signal and creating a query of the remote controller EPG database; the processor receiving results of the query from the natural language speech processor and conveying the results of the query to a user utilizing the user interface; and a remote command transmitter that transmits a command from the remote controller, such command comprising a program selection selected by manual or voice input via the user interface as a result of the query.
14. The receiver remote controller according to claim 12 , wherein the EPG data are updated on a periodic basis by connection to the television receiver device.