Method for monitoring media resource consumption in a network

Strategies are described for monitoring resources (e.g., media resource) in a system that includes multiple processing mechanisms (e.g., set-top boxes) and multiple associated presentation devices (e.g., television sets). The strategies involve assigning one of the processing mechanisms the role of master processing mechanism, which defines the other processing mechanisms as slave processing mechanisms. The master processing mechanism initially collects resource consumption information that describes the resources currently being consumed by the slave processing mechanisms. Thereafter, the master processing mechanism receives resource consumption information from each slave processing mechanism upon a channel change event occurring at the slave processing mechanism. The master processing mechanism compiles the collected resource consumption information into a resource consumption list, and displays a resource consumption presentation based on the list. The resource consumption presentation can include textual and/or picture information that describes the resources currently being consumed by the slave processing mechanisms.