Abstract: A method and apparatus for automating the distribution of audio programming to passenger entertainment systems on-board carriers such as aircraft. Audio signals containing the audio programming are encoded to produce compressed digital audio data signals, and the compressed digital data from the encoded signals are stored and subsequently distributed from a central distribution facility to a plurality of local distribution facilities located at or in the vicinity of airports. The compressed digital data is stored at each of the local distribution facilities, and is subsequently distributed to passenger entertainment systems on-board aircraft locally situated with respect to respective ones to the local distribution facilities. The aircraft received data is stored onto computer storage media, such as computer hard-disks, resident in the passenger entertainment systems on-board the aircraft.