The disclosed embodiments relate generally to the submission of media content to a media distribution system and the generation of media items from the media content. The media items may include, for example, audio, video, image, or podcast data. In accordance with one embodiment, a package for use in generating a downloadable digital media content asset includes metadata content that describes how the media content in a plurality of data files including media content can be processed to generate a downloadable digital media content asset, where the package includes information identifying the plurality of data files.