distribution potential

I have two qeustions regarding ' distribution potential'. First, what does it mean by ' distribution potential"? and why the adjective ' potential should come after the noun distribution?

The big Holllywood companies recognized that television offered new distribution potential and invested in it ( Does it indicate distribution potential?) accordingly.

It's the other way around, Polar. The adjective "distribution" comes before the noun "potential".

It means that Hollywood realized that television was a new and important way to sell their movies and to have more people see their movies. Television had the potential for them to distribute their movies to a wider audience.

"It" refers to television, not "distribution potential".