Every screen content creator should be looking at online distribution for past and future projects. At the moment, the major player is iTunes, which started out as music only and has expanded into screen content.

Australian screen content creators have some limited local outlets (ABC shop online, Telstra Big Pond movies), but for global distribution, iTunes is essential. Getting access to iTunes distribution seems to be focussed on music at the moment - all the information on the iTunes website is points that way. I have heard that to get your feature film on to iTunes, you have to work through established distributors. Stay tuned for an update.

That's why the news that MySpace is morphing into an online market for music is significant.

You will recall that MySpace started as a free for all online meeting place, which became the default location for independent bands to promote themselves. It was acquired by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation in 2005 for $580m. The deal had analysts scratching their heads, because MySpace had no business model.

Conventional wisdom was Murdoch was aggregating audiences without a clear plan to monetise. Murdoch's latest strategy is to build on MySpace's strengths as a music destination by offering online music sales. On the face of it, smart move and one and that seems to offer an alternative to iTunes.

This is instructive for screen content creators, because it may be useful to look around for alternatives to iTunes if you want global distribution. I hear rumours that such a project is in development in Australia.

What this means to you

If you get frustrated by some online distributors adopting the old structures, look around at what other aggregators are doing. Could be their alternative is just around the corner.