The media session management of the invention encompasses a media server having access to multiple unicast-based media channels and a user terminal. The user terminal generates and transmits a generic, channel-transparent session request to the server. This request initiates a generic, channel-transparent media session setup procedure between the terminal and the server. The setup procedure involves exchange of requests and responses but no media channel is yet selected or notified at the server. Once the channel-transparent setup has been completed, the user terminal transmits a channel-specific rendering request for a desired media channel to the server. In a subsequent channel switch, the terminal simply transmits a new channel-specific request for a new channel to the server during the ongoing session and reusing the negotiated transport parameters of the channel-transparent setup procedure.