diff --git a/IPython/core/displaypub.py b/IPython/core/displaypub.py
index 375ddb5..f3bcf39 100644
--- a/IPython/core/displaypub.py
+++ b/IPython/core/displaypub.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
-"""An interface for publishing data related to the display of objects.
+"""An interface for publishing rich data to frontends.
 
 Authors:
 
@@ -35,6 +35,69 @@ class DisplayPublisher(Configurable):
                 raise TypeError('metadata must be a dict, got: %r' % data)
 
     def publish(self, source, data, metadata=None):
-        """Publish data and metadata to all frontends."""
-        pass
+        """Publish data and metadata to all frontends.
 
+        See the ``display_data`` message in the messaging documentation for
+        more details about this message type.
+
+        Parameters
+        ----------
+        source : str
+            A string that give the function or method that created the data,
+            such as 'IPython.core.page'.
+        data : dict
+            A dictionary having keys that are valid MIME types (like 
+            'text/plain' or 'image/svg+xml') and values that are the data for
+            that MIME type. The data itself must be a JSON'able data
+            structure. Minimally all data should have the 'text/plain' data,
+            which can be displayed by all frontends. If more than the plain
+            text is given, it is up to the frontend to decide which
+            representation to use.
+        metadata : dict
+            A dictionary for metadata related to the data. This can contain
+            arbitrary key, value pairs that frontends can use to interpret
+            the data.
+        """
+        from IPython.utils import io
+        # The default is to simply write the plain text data using io.Term.
+        if data.has_key('text/plain'):
+            print >>io.Term.cout, data['text/plain']
+
+
+def publish_display_data(source, text, svg=None, png=None,
+                         html=None, metadata=None):
+    """Publish a display data to the frontends.
+
+    This function is a high level helper for the publishing of display data.
+    It handle a number of common MIME types in a clean API. For other MIME
+    types, use ``get_ipython().display_pub.publish`` directly.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    text : str/unicode
+        The string representation of the plot.
+
+    svn : str/unicode
+        The raw svg data of the plot.
+
+    png : ???
+        The raw png data of the plot.
+
+    metadata : dict, optional [default empty]
+        Allows for specification of additional information about the plot data.
+    """
+    from IPython.core.interactiveshell import InteractiveShell
+
+    data_dict = {}
+    data_dict['text/plain'] = text
+    if svg is not None:
+        data_dict['image/svg+xml'] = svg
+    if png is not None:
+        data_dict['image/png'] = png
+    if html is not None:
+        data_dict['text/html'] = html
+    InteractiveShell.instance().display_pub.publish(
+        source,
+        data_dict,
+        metadata
+    )
diff --git a/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py b/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
index 52753b3..a2e646f 100644
--- a/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
+++ b/IPython/core/interactiveshell.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ from IPython.core.builtin_trap import BuiltinTrap
 from IPython.core.compilerop import CachingCompiler
 from IPython.core.display_trap import DisplayTrap
 from IPython.core.displayhook import DisplayHook
+from IPython.core.displaypub import DisplayPublisher
 from IPython.core.error import TryNext, UsageError
 from IPython.core.extensions import ExtensionManager
 from IPython.core.fakemodule import FakeModule, init_fakemod_dict
@@ -150,6 +151,8 @@ class InteractiveShell(Configurable, Magic):
     debug = CBool(False, config=True)
     deep_reload = CBool(False, config=True)
     displayhook_class = Type(DisplayHook)
+    display_pub_class = Type(DisplayPublisher)
+
     exit_now = CBool(False)
     # Monotonically increasing execution counter
     execution_count = Int(1)
@@ -284,6 +287,7 @@ class InteractiveShell(Configurable, Magic):
         self.init_io()
         self.init_traceback_handlers(custom_exceptions)
         self.init_prompts()
+        self.init_display_pub()
         self.init_displayhook()
         self.init_reload_doctest()
         self.init_magics()
@@ -481,6 +485,9 @@ class InteractiveShell(Configurable, Magic):
         # will initialize that object and all prompt related information.
         pass
 
+    def init_display_pub(self):
+        self.display_pub = self.display_pub_class(config=self.config)
+
     def init_displayhook(self):
         # Initialize displayhook, set in/out prompts and printing system
         self.displayhook = self.displayhook_class(
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipython_widget.py b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipython_widget.py
index f879131..bc7db31 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipython_widget.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/ipython_widget.py
@@ -183,6 +183,21 @@ class IPythonWidget(FrontendWidget):
             self._append_html(self._make_out_prompt(prompt_number))
             self._append_plain_text(content['data']+self.output_sep2)
 
+    def _handle_display_data(self, msg):
+        """ The base handler for the ``display_data`` message.
+        """
+        # For now, we don't display data from other frontends, but we 
+        # eventually will as this allows all frontends to monitor the display
+        # data. But we need to figure out how to handle this in the GUI.
+        if not self._hidden and self._is_from_this_session(msg):
+            source = msg['content']['source']
+            data = msg['content']['data']
+            metadata = msg['content']['metadata']
+            # In the regular IPythonWidget, we simply print the plain text
+            # representation.
+            if data.has_key('text/plain'):
+                self._append_plain_text(data['text/plain'])
+
     def _started_channels(self):
         """ Reimplemented to make a history request.
         """
@@ -444,7 +459,7 @@ class IPythonWidget(FrontendWidget):
         else:
             self._page(item['text'], html=False)
 
-    #------ Trait change handlers ---------------------------------------------
+    #------ Trait change handlers --------------------------------------------
 
     def _style_sheet_changed(self):
         """ Set the style sheets of the underlying widgets.
@@ -464,4 +479,4 @@ class IPythonWidget(FrontendWidget):
             self._highlighter.set_style(self.syntax_style)
         else:
             self._highlighter.set_style_sheet(self.style_sheet)
-        
+
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/rich_ipython_widget.py b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/rich_ipython_widget.py
index 98d0cb1..377e778 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/qt/console/rich_ipython_widget.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/qt/console/rich_ipython_widget.py
@@ -56,7 +56,31 @@ class RichIPythonWidget(IPythonWidget):
                 menu.addAction('Save SVG As...', 
                                lambda: save_svg(svg, self._control))
         return menu
-    
+
+    #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    # 'BaseFrontendMixin' abstract interface
+    #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+    def _handle_display_data(self, msg):
+        """ A handler for ``display_data`` message that handles html and svg.
+        """
+        if not self._hidden and self._is_from_this_session(msg):
+            source = msg['content']['source']
+            data = msg['content']['data']
+            metadata = msg['content']['metadata']
+            # Try to use the svg or html representations.
+            # FIXME: Is this the right ordering of things to try?
+            if data.has_key('image/svg+xml'):
+                svg = data['image/svg+xml']
+                # TODO: try/except this call.
+                self._append_svg(svg)
+            elif data.has_key('text/html'):
+                html = data['text/html']
+                self._append_html(html)
+            else:
+                # Default back to the plain text representation.
+                return super(RichIPythonWidget, self)._handle_display_data(msg)
+
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
     # 'FrontendWidget' protected interface
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -65,20 +89,11 @@ class RichIPythonWidget(IPythonWidget):
         """ Reimplemented to handle matplotlib plot payloads.
         """
         if item['source'] == self._payload_source_plot:
+            # TODO: remove this as all plot data is coming back through the
+            # display_data message type.
             if item['format'] == 'svg':
                 svg = item['data']
-                try:
-                    image = svg_to_image(svg)
-                except ValueError:
-                    self._append_plain_text('Received invalid plot data.')
-                else:
-                    format = self._add_image(image)
-                    self._name_to_svg[str(format.name())] = svg
-                    format.setProperty(self._svg_text_format_property, svg)
-                    cursor = self._get_end_cursor()
-                    cursor.insertBlock()
-                    cursor.insertImage(format)
-                    cursor.insertBlock()
+                self._append_svg(svg)
                 return True
             else:
                 # Add other plot formats here!
@@ -90,6 +105,22 @@ class RichIPythonWidget(IPythonWidget):
     # 'RichIPythonWidget' protected interface
     #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+    def _append_svg(self, svg):
+        """ Append raw svg data to the widget.
+        """
+        try:
+            image = svg_to_image(svg)
+        except ValueError:
+            self._append_plain_text('Received invalid plot data.')
+        else:
+            format = self._add_image(image)
+            self._name_to_svg[str(format.name())] = svg
+            format.setProperty(self._svg_text_format_property, svg)
+            cursor = self._get_end_cursor()
+            cursor.insertBlock()
+            cursor.insertImage(format)
+            cursor.insertBlock()
+
     def _add_image(self, image):
         """ Adds the specified QImage to the document and returns a
             QTextImageFormat that references it.
@@ -192,4 +223,4 @@ class RichIPythonWidget(IPythonWidget):
 
         else:
             return '<b>Unrecognized image format</b>'
-        
+
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/qt/kernelmanager.py b/IPython/frontend/qt/kernelmanager.py
index 98df284..79b8edb 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/qt/kernelmanager.py
+++ b/IPython/frontend/qt/kernelmanager.py
@@ -101,6 +101,9 @@ class QtSubSocketChannel(SocketChannelQObject, SubSocketChannel):
     # Emitted when a message of type 'pyerr' is received.
     pyerr_received = QtCore.pyqtSignal(object)
 
+    # Emitted when a message of type 'display_data' is received
+    display_data_received = QtCore.pyqtSignal(object)
+
     # Emitted when a crash report message is received from the kernel's
     # last-resort sys.excepthook.
     crash_received = QtCore.pyqtSignal(object)
@@ -117,7 +120,6 @@ class QtSubSocketChannel(SocketChannelQObject, SubSocketChannel):
         """
         # Emit the generic signal.
         self.message_received.emit(msg)
-        
         # Emit signals for specialized message types.
         msg_type = msg['msg_type']
         signal = getattr(self, msg_type + '_received', None)
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py b/IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py
index 011608f..018515c 100755
--- a/IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/ipkernel.py
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ class Kernel(Configurable):
         self.shell = ZMQInteractiveShell.instance()
         self.shell.displayhook.session = self.session
         self.shell.displayhook.pub_socket = self.pub_socket
+        self.shell.display_pub.session = self.session
+        self.shell.display_pub.pub_socket = self.pub_socket
 
         # TMP - hack while developing
         self.shell._reply_content = None
@@ -194,6 +196,7 @@ class Kernel(Configurable):
 
         # Set the parent message of the display hook and out streams.
         shell.displayhook.set_parent(parent)
+        shell.display_pub.set_parent(parent)
         sys.stdout.set_parent(parent)
         sys.stderr.set_parent(parent)
 
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/pylab/backend_inline.py b/IPython/zmq/pylab/backend_inline.py
index f844d4c..745dbf6 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/pylab/backend_inline.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/pylab/backend_inline.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from matplotlib.backends.backend_svg import new_figure_manager
 from matplotlib._pylab_helpers import Gcf
 
 # Local imports.
-from backend_payload import add_plot_payload
+from IPython.core.displaypub import publish_display_data
 
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Functions
@@ -85,7 +85,11 @@ def send_svg_canvas(canvas):
     canvas.figure.set_facecolor('white')
     canvas.figure.set_edgecolor('white')
     try:
-        add_plot_payload('svg', svg_from_canvas(canvas))
+        publish_display_data(
+            'IPython.zmq.pylab.backend_inline.send_svg_canvas',
+            '<Matplotlib Plot>',
+            svg=svg_from_canvas(canvas)
+        )
     finally:
         canvas.figure.set_facecolor(fc)
         canvas.figure.set_edgecolor(ec)
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/pylab/backend_payload.py b/IPython/zmq/pylab/backend_payload.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 74d4de6..0000000
--- a/IPython/zmq/pylab/backend_payload.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,26 +0,0 @@
-""" Provides basic funtionality for payload backends.
-"""
-
-# Local imports.
-from IPython.core.interactiveshell import InteractiveShell
-
-
-def add_plot_payload(format, data, metadata={}):
-    """ Add a plot payload to the current execution reply.
-
-    Parameters:
-    -----------
-    format : str
-        Identifies the format of the plot data.
-
-    data : str
-        The raw plot data.
-
-    metadata : dict, optional [default empty]
-        Allows for specification of additional information about the plot data.
-    """
-    payload = dict(
-        source='IPython.zmq.pylab.backend_payload.add_plot_payload', 
-        format=format, data=data, metadata=metadata
-    )
-    InteractiveShell.instance().payload_manager.write_payload(payload)
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/zmqshell.py b/IPython/zmq/zmqshell.py
index 1eda3d9..66e5369 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/zmqshell.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/zmqshell.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from IPython.core.interactiveshell import (
 )
 from IPython.core import page
 from IPython.core.displayhook import DisplayHook
+from IPython.core.displaypub import DisplayPublisher
 from IPython.core.macro import Macro
 from IPython.core.payloadpage import install_payload_page
 from IPython.utils import io
@@ -75,10 +76,34 @@ class ZMQDisplayHook(DisplayHook):
         self.msg = None
 
 
+class ZMQDisplayPublisher(DisplayPublisher):
+    """A ``DisplayPublisher`` that published data using a ZeroMQ PUB socket."""
+
+    session = Instance(Session)
+    pub_socket = Instance('zmq.Socket')
+    parent_header = Dict({})
+
+    def set_parent(self, parent):
+        """Set the parent for outbound messages."""
+        self.parent_header = extract_header(parent)
+
+    def publish(self, source, data, metadata=None):
+        if metadata is None:
+            metadata = {}
+        self._validate_data(source, data, metadata)
+        msg = self.session.msg(u'display_data', {}, parent=self.parent_header)
+        msg['content']['source'] = source
+        msg['content']['data'] = data
+        msg['content']['metadata'] = metadata
+        self.pub_socket.send_json(msg)
+
+
 class ZMQInteractiveShell(InteractiveShell):
     """A subclass of InteractiveShell for ZMQ."""
 
     displayhook_class = Type(ZMQDisplayHook)
+    display_pub_class = Type(ZMQDisplayPublisher)
+
     keepkernel_on_exit = None
 
     def init_environment(self):
diff --git a/docs/source/development/messaging.txt b/docs/source/development/messaging.txt
index 15cbf02..59fdbc6 100644
--- a/docs/source/development/messaging.txt
+++ b/docs/source/development/messaging.txt
@@ -700,30 +700,32 @@ socket with the names 'stdin' and 'stdin_reply'.  This will allow other clients
 to monitor/display kernel interactions and possibly replay them to their user
 or otherwise expose them.
 
-Representation Data
--------------------
+Display Data
+------------
 
-This type of message is used to bring back representations (text, html, svg,
-etc.) of Python objects to the frontend. Each message can have multiple
-representations of the object; it is up to the frontend to decide which to use
-and how. A single message should contain the different representations of a
-single Python object. Each representation should be a JSON'able data structure,
-and should be a valid MIME type.
+This type of message is used to bring back data that should be diplayed (text,
+html, svg, etc.) in the frontends. This data is published to all frontends.
+Each message can have multiple representations of the data; it is up to the
+frontend to decide which to use and how. A single message should contain all
+possible representations of the same information. Each representation should
+be a JSON'able data structure, and should be a valid MIME type.
 
 Some questions remain about this design:
 
-* Do we use this message type for pyout/displayhook?
-* What is the best way to organize the content dict of the message?
+* Do we use this message type for pyout/displayhook? Probably not, because
+  the displayhook also has to handle the Out prompt display. On the other hand
+  we could put that information into the metadata secion.
 
-Message type: ``repr_data``::
+Message type: ``display_data``::
 
-    # Option 1: if we only allow a single source.
     content = {
         'source' : str  # Who create the data
         'data' : dict  # {'mimetype1' : data1, 'mimetype2' : data2}
         'metadata' : dict  # Any metadata that describes the data
     }
 
+Other options for ``display_data`` content::
+
     # Option 2: allowing for a different source for each representation,
     but not keyed by anything.
     content = {