The broadcast nature of satellite communications provides a highly effective medium for content distribution, especially in the case of geographically scattered clients. In satellite networks such as DVB-RCS based systems, new approaches and further improvements in content distribution are possible. Non-real-time applications typically employ reliable multicast methods, based on application level protocols. These often make use of forward error correction (FEC) techniques and apply carousel data cycling schemes in unidirectional links. Recent developments in information theory paved the way for a groundbreaking approach for reliable multicast over satellite networks: network coding protocols that offer a native and transparent solution for reliable multicast. When employing a feedback channel, network coding can reach near real-time performance at an efficiency level close to known theoretical bounds.