An apparatus comprising: a memory; a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: obtain a protection description for media content comprising a plurality of content items, characterized in that the protection description comprises data signaling at least two protection mechanisms for at least two content items in a media content, wherein each of the at least two content items is protected by one or more of the at least two protection mechanisms, and wherein the protection mechanisms for the at least two content items are different, different content items are not necessarily protected by the same protection mechanism or mechanisms; and wherein the data comprise: a ContentProtection element that specifies an protection mechanism used for protection one of the plurality of content items, and the ContentProtection element comprises a @keyUrlTemplate attribute, the @keyUrlTemplate attribute specifies a template for key URL generation; determine the protection mechanisms for the at least two content items from the data; and process the at least two content items according to their associated protection mechanisms. a memory; a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: obtain a protection description for media content comprising a plurality of content items, characterized in that the protection description comprises data signaling at least two protection mechanisms for at least two content items in a media content, wherein each of the at least two content items is protected by one or more of the at least two protection mechanisms, and wherein the protection mechanisms for the at least two content items are different, different content items are not necessarily protected by the same protection mechanism or mechanisms; and wherein the data comprise: a ContentProtection element that specifies an protection mechanism used for protection one of the plurality of content items, and the ContentProtection element comprises a @keyUrlTemplate attribute, the @keyUrlTemplate attribute specifies a template for key URL generation; determine the protection mechanisms for the at least two content items from the data; and process the at least two content items according to their associated protection mechanisms. obtain a protection description for media content comprising a plurality of content items, characterized in that the protection description comprises data signaling at least two protection mechanisms for at least two content items in a media content, wherein each of the at least two content items is protected by one or more of the at least two protection mechanisms, and wherein the protection mechanisms for the at least two content items are different, different content items are not necessarily protected by the same protection mechanism or mechanisms; and wherein the data comprise: a ContentProtection element that specifies an protection mechanism used for protection one of the plurality of content items, and the ContentProtection element comprises a @keyUrlTemplate attribute, the @keyUrlTemplate attribute specifies a template for key URL generation; determine the protection mechanisms for the at least two content items from the data; and process the at least two content items according to their associated protection mechanisms.