# What Does SAP Stand For (Spanish-language Broadcasting)?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-sap-stand-for-spanish-language-broadcasting/199112>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 2, 2003, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-sap-stand-for-spanish-language-broadcasting/199112 "2003-09-02T12:43:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-sap-stand-for-spanish-language-broadcasting/199112/1 "2003-09-02T12:43:30Z")

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When a program is broadcast dually in Spanish and English, the letters SAP will appear in the program guide, etc. (just like the little “Closed Captioning” symbol).

What does SAP stand for? SAPnish? “ **S** e h **a** bla Es **p** añol”?

TIA

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**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-sap-stand-for-spanish-language-broadcasting/199112/2 "2003-09-02T12:50:00Z")

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SAP stands for Special Audio Program.

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**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-sap-stand-for-spanish-language-broadcasting/199112/3 "2003-09-02T12:52:01Z")

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Whoops, spoke to soon. It actually stands for Secondary Audio Programming and more info can be found [here](http://www.accessdome.com/com-sap/sap.general.asp).

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**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-sap-stand-for-spanish-language-broadcasting/199112/4 "2003-09-02T13:24:41Z")

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Separate Audio Program. It’s a feature of the upgrade of TV audio in the 1980’s that brought you stereo sound.

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**Author:** ![KeithT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@KeithT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KeithT)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-sap-stand-for-spanish-language-broadcasting/199112/5 "2003-09-02T13:44:10Z")

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In addition to the Spanish language programming, my local PBS station also uses it to provide descriptive audio services for the sight-impaired, and to broadcast weather information.