This line is used to alter the distribution scope of the message. It is a comma separated list similar to the Newsgroups line. User subscriptions are still controlled by Newsgroups, but the message is sent to all systems subscribing to the newsgroups on the Distribution line in addition to the Newsgroups line. For the message to be transmitted, the receiving site must normally receive one of the specified newsgroups AND must receive one of the specified distributions. Thus, a message concerning a car for sale in New Jersey might have headers including:

Newsgroups: rec.auto,misc.forsale

Distribution: nj,ny

so that it would only go to persons subscribing to rec.auto or misc. for sale within New Jersey or New York. The intent of this header is to restrict the distribution of a newsgroup further, not to increase it. A local newsgroup, such as nj.crazy-eddie, will probably not be propagated by hosts outside New Jersey that do not show such a newsgroup as valid. A follow-up message should default to the same Distribution line as the original message, but the user can change it to a more limited one, or escalate the distribution if it was originally restricted and a more widely distributed reply is appropriate.

RFC1036: [Source:"RFC-1036"] [Last Changed:December 1987] [Copyright: 1987 M. Horton, R. Adams]
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Up to RFC1036 2.2. Optional Headers