A production server must run a Linux distribution that puts security and stability above all other aspects of the OS. The OS must run stable versions of applications (no release candidates or betas) and include the applications necessary to run a server. The user will have the option of what specific server applications to install. Whether it be a e-mail, database or web hosting server all applications needed to run a stable and secure server must available to the user via the distributions repositories. Another consideration when choosing a Linux distribution for a production server is support. Do you want the option to purchase professional support? Is the documentation adequate for your needs? These are all important things to consider when making your choice of Linux distribution.
RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux), CentOS (a free derivative of RHEL) , Ubuntu Server and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server are all Linux distributions that focus on providing a Linux distribution that is secure, stable, and well supported. With some, you can purchase professional support should you need it. The server install should not include a GUI, have a firewall installed by default, and give you the freedom to install applications to customize your server to meet your specific needs. If cost is a factor in your choice of Linux distribution for your production server one thing to keep in mind is that Red Hat Enterprise Linux and SUSE Linux Enterprise have an initial cost associated with them while Ubuntu Server and CentOS have no startup costs.
A Linux distribution specializing in audio and video editing must highlight the tools available in GNU/Linux in the area of multimedia creation and production. The software offered will have to be stable and offer well written documentation. The user must have the option to install additional tools via the distributions package manager. A 64bit version of the distribution should also be offered, as well as the corresponding 64bit versions of the software, for users of 64 bit processors. Multimedia creation and production, in my experience, is one of the areas that currently benefits substantially from the 64bit version of a Linux distribution.
Ubuntu Studio and 64 Studio are two Linux distributions that focus primarily on providing a solid multimedia creation and production experience. They include, in their repositories, stable versions of most of the tools required to create and produce multimedia content. A multimedia creation and production distribution must also include additional hardware drivers to built into the kernel to make sure specialized hardware designed for multimedia creation and production (professional sound cards, sound boards, etc) work "out of the box".