A distribution apparatus for distributing content data items via multicast includes a transmitting and receiving unit and an error correction encoding unit. The transmitting and receiving unit receives reception status information regarding a reception status of the content data items in a receiving apparatus that receives the content data items. The error correction encoding unit generates recovery data used by the receiving apparatus to recover a content data item that is not successfully received among the content data items on the basis of reception status information received from the receiving apparatus that receives the content data items distributed via multicast. Subsequently, the transmitting and receiving unit distributes the generated recovery data together with the content data items via multicast.