A media content distribution system for distributed multimedia streaming communicates over a network and incorporates multiple independent media stations, each having a media director for control anda number of media engines for storage, retrieval and streaming of media content. A content request from a media console connected to the network is redirected by the media director to a selected one of the media engines storing content corresponding to the request for streaming. The system includes at least one distribution center providing media content downloading capability and a media locationregistry communicating with the media director in each media station. The media location registry stores the location of all media content in the media stations.