The present specification discloses a
multimedia distribution system and method. The
system and method has a producer
workstation, a delivery
server, a high-bandwidth one-way
satellite transmission system, a terrestrial two-way communication
system (including use of
the Internet), a plurality of
satellite affiliate workstations, and a plurality of terrestrial
client workstations. The delivery
server receives digital information (envelopes and associates media files) from the producer workstations for delivery of the information to the affiliate and
client workstations addressed in the envelope. The affiliate and
client workstations provide the delivery
server with confirmation of delivery of each received envelope and its associated files. In the absence of
receipt of confirmation of delivery, the delivery server re-sends the unconfirmed envelope and associated files to the non-confirming affiliate or client
workstation by a two-way terrestrial connection or by a manual
system, such as a dub-and-ship service. The delivery server has the ability to push content to affiliates, push-pull content to affiliate and clients, to conventionally pull content from the delivery server, and push the content to affiliates and clients by manual delivery services. The disclosed system and method utilize a unique envelope and addressing protocol and a unique broadcast
file transfer protocol for distribution to affiliate workstations by one-way
satellite broadcast. The disclosed system and method also make significant use of the TCP / IP, IGMP, and
Ethernet protocols and information distribution techniques.