diff --git a/engine/app.py b/engine/app.py
index 039b213..a23b749 100644
--- a/engine/app.py
+++ b/engine/app.py
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ def pick_effects_config():
 
 
 def run_demo_mode():
-    """Run demo mode - showcases effects with pygame display."""
+    """Run demo mode - showcases effects with real content and pygame display."""
     import random
 
     from engine import config
@@ -364,9 +364,11 @@ def run_demo_mode():
         get_registry,
         set_monitor,
     )
+    from engine.fetch import fetch_all, fetch_poetry, load_cache
+    from engine.scroll import calculate_scroll_step
 
     print("  \033[1;38;5;46mMAINLINE DEMO MODE\033[0m")
-    print("  \033[38;5;245mInitializing pygame display...\033[0m")
+    print("  \033[38;5;245mInitializing...\033[0m")
 
     import effects_plugins
 
@@ -374,7 +376,7 @@ def run_demo_mode():
 
     registry = get_registry()
     chain = get_effect_chain()
-    chain.set_order(["hud"])
+    chain.set_order(["hud", "noise", "fade", "glitch", "firehose"])
 
     monitor = PerformanceMonitor()
     set_monitor(monitor)
@@ -385,30 +387,46 @@ def run_demo_mode():
         print("  \033[38;5;196mFailed to create pygame display\033[0m")
         sys.exit(1)
 
-    display.init(80, 24)
+    w, h = 80, 24
+    display.init(w, h)
     display.clear()
 
+    print("  \033[38;5;245mFetching content...\033[0m")
+
+    cached = load_cache()
+    if cached:
+        items = cached
+    elif config.MODE == "poetry":
+        items, _, _ = fetch_poetry()
+    else:
+        items, _, _ = fetch_all()
+
+    if not items:
+        print("  \033[38;5;196mNo content available\033[0m")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    random.shuffle(items)
+    pool = list(items)
+    seen = set()
+    active = []
+    scroll_cam = 0
+    ticker_next_y = 0
+    noise_cache = {}
+    scroll_motion_accum = 0.0
+    frame_number = 0
+
+    GAP = 3
+    scroll_step_interval = calculate_scroll_step(config.SCROLL_DUR, h)
+
     effects_to_demo = ["noise", "fade", "glitch", "firehose"]
-    w, h = 80, 24
-
-    base_buffer = []
-    for row in range(h):
-        line = ""
-        for col in range(w):
-            char = random.choice("ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789 ")
-            line += char
-        base_buffer.append(line)
-
-    print("  \033[38;5;82mStarting effect demo...\033[0m")
-    print("  \033[38;5;245mPress Ctrl+C to exit\033[0m\n")
-
     effect_idx = 0
     effect_name = effects_to_demo[effect_idx]
     effect_start_time = time.time()
     current_intensity = 0.0
     ramping_up = True
 
-    frame_count = 0
+    print("  \033[38;5;82mStarting effect demo...\033[0m")
+    print("  \033[38;5;245mPress Ctrl+C to exit\033[0m\n")
 
     try:
         while True:
@@ -435,7 +453,7 @@ def run_demo_mode():
                 if effect.name == effect_name:
                     effect.config.enabled = True
                     effect.config.intensity = current_intensity
-                elif effect.name not in ("hud", effect_name):
+                elif effect.name not in ("hud",):
                     effect.config.enabled = False
 
             hud_effect = registry.get("hud")
@@ -443,22 +461,58 @@ def run_demo_mode():
                 hud_effect.config.params["display_effect"] = effect_name
                 hud_effect.config.params["display_intensity"] = current_intensity
 
+            scroll_motion_accum += config.FRAME_DT
+            while scroll_motion_accum >= scroll_step_interval:
+                scroll_motion_accum -= scroll_step_interval
+                scroll_cam += 1
+
+                from engine.effects import next_headline
+                from engine.render import make_block
+
+                while ticker_next_y < scroll_cam + h + 10:
+                    t, src, ts = next_headline(pool, items, seen)
+                    ticker_content, hc, midx = make_block(t, src, ts, w)
+                    active.append((ticker_content, hc, ticker_next_y, midx))
+                    ticker_next_y += len(ticker_content) + GAP
+
+                active = [
+                    (c, hc, by, mi)
+                    for c, hc, by, mi in active
+                    if by + len(c) > scroll_cam
+                ]
+                for k in list(noise_cache):
+                    if k < scroll_cam:
+                        del noise_cache[k]
+
+            grad_offset = (time.time() * config.GRAD_SPEED) % 1.0
+
+            from engine.layers import render_ticker_zone
+
+            buf, noise_cache = render_ticker_zone(
+                active, scroll_cam, h, w, noise_cache, grad_offset
+            )
+
+            from engine.layers import render_firehose
+
+            firehose_buf = render_firehose(items, w, 0, h)
+            buf.extend(firehose_buf)
+
             ctx = EffectContext(
                 terminal_width=w,
                 terminal_height=h,
-                scroll_cam=0,
+                scroll_cam=scroll_cam,
                 ticker_height=h,
                 mic_excess=0.0,
-                grad_offset=time.time() % 1.0,
-                frame_number=frame_count,
+                grad_offset=grad_offset,
+                frame_number=frame_number,
                 has_message=False,
-                items=[],
+                items=items,
             )
 
-            result = chain.process(base_buffer, ctx)
+            result = chain.process(buf, ctx)
             display.show(result)
 
-            frame_count += 1
+            frame_number += 1
             time.sleep(1 / 60)
 
     except KeyboardInterrupt: