The invention provides a middleware component usable in a mobile terminal device, where the middleware component mediates between an application program and network interfaces and/or hardware to manage the interaction between disparate applications across heterogeneous platforms. The middleware component coordinates scanning for available broadcast, multicast, and/or conditional access platforms, networks, and/or services, as well as obtaining electronic service guide (ESG) data for the available services. The middleware component may use a variety of discovery protocols to identify services, and may use security protocols to manage authorized access to received services. When incorporated into a mobile terminal device, the middleware may interface with multiple radios to establish communications over on or more data networks in addition to receiving data via the broadcast network.