Secure content access system

A method for communicating between a client application and a license-governing application. The method includes receiving a request at a content application from the client application to access media content from the license-governing application, generating a message at the content application to the license-governing application to request client authentication, and receiving at the content application a client authorization token from the license-governing application. A message is generated at the content application to the client application to request user authentication, and the content application receives an authorization code from the client application. The method further includes generating a message at the content application to the license-governing application with the authorization code to request an access token, receiving the access token at the content application from the license-governing application, and granting access at the content application to the media content based on the access token.