diff --git a/PyMediaRSS2Gen.py b/PyMediaRSS2Gen.py
index 0cf7771..6caa0db 100644
--- a/PyMediaRSS2Gen.py
+++ b/PyMediaRSS2Gen.py
@@ -74,9 +74,14 @@ def __init__(
         duration=None,
         height=None,
         width=None,
-        lang=None
+        lang=None,
+
+
+        media_thumbnails=None,
     ):
         """Create a media:content element, args will be attributes."""
+        self.media_thumbnails = media_thumbnails
+
         self.element_attrs = OrderedDict()
 
         self._add_attribute('url', url)
@@ -113,7 +118,16 @@ def _add_attribute(self, name, value, allowed_values=None):
 
     def publish(self, handler):
         """Publish the MediaContent as XML."""
-        PyRSS2Gen._element(handler, "media:content", None, self.element_attrs)
+        handler.startElement("media:content", self.element_attrs)
+
+        if hasattr(self, 'media_thumbnails'):
+            if not isinstance(self.media_thumbnails, list):
+                self.media_thumbnails = [self.media_thumbnails]
+
+            for t in self.media_thumbnails:
+                PyRSS2Gen._opt_element(handler, "media:thumbnail", t)
+
+        handler.endElement("media:content")
 
     def __repr__(self):
         """Return a nice string representation for prettier debugging."""
@@ -243,3 +257,53 @@ def publish_extensions(self, handler):
 
         if hasattr(self, 'media_text'):
             PyRSS2Gen._opt_element(handler, "media:text", self.media_text)
+
+class MediaThumbnail(object):
+
+    """Publish a Media Thumbnail Item."""
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        url,
+        height=None,
+        width=None,
+        time=None # string in the NTP format - see http://www.rssboard.org/media-rss
+    ):
+        """Create a thumbnail element that contains args as attributes."""
+
+        self.element_attrs = OrderedDict()
+        self._add_attribute('url', url)
+        self._add_attribute('width', width)
+        self._add_attribute('height', height)
+        self._add_attribute('time', time)
+
+        self.check_complicance()
+
+    def _add_attribute(self, name, value):
+        """Add an attribute to the MediaContent element."""
+        if value:
+            if isinstance(value, (int, bool)):
+                value = str(value)
+
+            self.element_attrs[name] = value
+
+    def check_complicance(self):
+        """Check compliance with Media RSS Specification, Version 1.5.1.
+
+        see http://www.rssboard.org/media-rss
+        Raises AttributeError on error.
+        """
+
+        if not self.element_attrs.get('url'):
+            raise AttributeError('thumbnail url must be specified')
+
+        if self.element_attrs.get('time'):
+            try:
+                parts = self.element_attrs['time'].split(':')
+                assert len(parts) == 3
+            except AssertionError:
+                raise AttributeError('time, if present, must be in the NTP format')
+
+    def publish(self, handler):
+        """Publish the MediaThumbnail as XML."""
+        PyRSS2Gen._element(handler, "media:thumbnail", None, self.element_attrs)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/fixtures.py b/tests/fixtures.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b061eb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# coding=utf-8
+
+""" fixtures """
+
+import pytest
+import PyMediaRSS2Gen as mrss
+
+FEED_URL = 'http://nowhere.org/rss.xml'
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def feed():
+    """ fixture creating an empty feed """
+    return mrss.MediaRSS2(
+        title = 'Test Feed',
+        link = 'http://nowhere.org/nopost',
+        description = 'A testing feed'
+    )
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_content.py b/tests/test_content.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6288ccc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_content.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# coding=utf-8
+
+"""
+tests of MediaContent
+"""
+
+import pytest
+import PyMediaRSS2Gen as mrss
+
+from fixtures import *
+
+class TestMediaContent(object):
+
+    def test_output(self, feed):
+        """ output of a basic content should look like this """
+
+        image = mrss.MediaContent(
+            type='image',
+            url='http://nowhere.org/img/hippo.jpg',
+        )
+        item = mrss.MediaRSSItem(
+            title="Item with thumbnail",
+            media_content=image
+        )
+        feed.items = [item]
+        output = feed.to_xml()
+
+        assert output.endswith(
+            '<media:content url="http://nowhere.org/img/hippo.jpg" type="image"></media:content>'+
+            '</item></channel></rss>'
+        )
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/test_mediarss2.py b/tests/test_mediarss2.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34461fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_mediarss2.py
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# coding=utf-8
+
+"""
+tests of the main class -
+MediaRSS2
+"""
+
+import pytest
+import PyMediaRSS2Gen as mrss
+
+from fixtures import *
+
+class Test_EmptyFeed(object):
+
+    def test_toXML(self, feed):
+        """ it is possible to render an empty feed """
+        output = feed.to_xml()
+        assert output.startswith('<?xml')
+        assert '</channel>' in output
+        assert '<item>' not in output
+
+    @pytest.mark.xfail(reason='PyRSS2Gen ignores the attribute')
+    def test_hasNamespace(self, feed):
+        """ the feed defines the media module namespace """
+        output = feed.to_xml()
+        assert 'xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/"' in output
+
+class Test_Items(object):
+
+    def test_noMedia(self, feed):
+        """
+        it is possible to have an item without media content
+        in a media-enabled feed
+
+        The test simply shouldn't throw an error
+        """
+        feed.items = [
+            mrss.MediaRSSItem(
+                title="Item without media content",
+                description="It has no media content",
+            )
+        ]
+        output = feed.to_xml()
diff --git a/tests/test_thumbnail.py b/tests/test_thumbnail.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..432d148
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_thumbnail.py
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+# coding=utf-8
+
+"""
+tests of MediaThumbnail
+"""
+
+import pytest
+import PyMediaRSS2Gen as mrss
+
+from fixtures import *
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def itemWithThumbnail():
+    """ fixture creating an item with thumbnail """
+    thumb = mrss.MediaThumbnail(
+        url='http://nowhere.org/img/hippo_tn.jpg',
+        time='00:15:46',
+        width=150,
+        height=652
+    )
+    image = mrss.MediaContent(
+        type='image',
+        url='http://nowhere.org/img/hippo.jpg',
+        media_thumbnails=thumb
+    )
+    return mrss.MediaRSSItem(
+        title="Item with thumbnail",
+        media_content=image
+    )
+
+class TestMediaThumbnail(object):
+
+    def test_withoutUrl(self):
+        """ url is required """
+        with pytest.raises(AttributeError):
+            mrss.MediaThumbnail(url=None)
+
+    def test_withoutTime(self):
+        """ is ok """
+        mrss.MediaThumbnail(url=FEED_URL)
+
+    def test_withInvalidTime(self):
+        """ time must be in the NTP format """
+        with pytest.raises(AttributeError):
+            mrss.MediaThumbnail(url=FEED_URL, time='notime')
+
+    def test_withValidTime(self):
+        """ is ok """
+        mrss.MediaThumbnail(url=FEED_URL, time='00:05:10')
+        mrss.MediaThumbnail(url=FEED_URL, time='00:05:10.5')
+
+    def test_XMLOutputContainsThumbnail(self, feed, itemWithThumbnail):
+        """ first output test: the thumbnail element must be in the output """
+        feed.items = [itemWithThumbnail]
+        output = feed.to_xml()
+        assert '<media:thumbnail' in output
+
+    def test_publishesCorrectly(self, feed, itemWithThumbnail):
+        """ the thumbnail element should be output with the desired argument order """
+        feed.items = [itemWithThumbnail]
+        output = feed.to_xml()
+
+        assert output.endswith(
+            '<media:thumbnail url="http://nowhere.org/img/hippo_tn.jpg" width="150" height="652" time="00:15:46"></media:thumbnail>' +
+            '</media:content>' +
+            '</item></channel></rss>'
+        )
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..59a9cd1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+[tox]
+envlist=py26,py27,py34
+
+[testenv]
+deps=
+        pytest
+        PyRSS2Gen
+
+commands=py.test
\ No newline at end of file