SAP is often used to provide audio tracks in languages other than the native language included in the program. In the United States, this is sometimes used for
Spanish-language audio (especially during sports telecasts), often leading to the function being referred to facetiously as the "Spanish audio program". Likewise, some Spanish-language programs may offer English on SAP, seen with
soccer networks including
beIN Sports (which features the same setup on its English and Spanish channels, and more rarely with general channels. Some stations may relay
NOAA Weather Radio services, or, particularly in the case of
PBS stations, a local
National Public Radio (NPR) sister station, on the audio channel when SAP is not being used, and even commercial radio stations which are either sister operations or
broker their programming onto the SAP channel. In Canada, parliamentary and public affairs channel
CPAC similarly uses SAP to carry both English and
French-language audio. SAP is also a means of distribution for
audio description of programs for the
visually impaired. Under the
Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, top U.S. television networks and cable networks have been gradually required to broadcast quotas of audio described programming per-quarter, Since May 26, 2015, broadcasters have been required under the Act to provide dictations on SAP of any "emergency information" displayed in a textual format outside of the
Emergency Alert System and newscasts. ==Frequencies==