JOHNSTON, IOWA (April 22, 2020) — Spanish-speaking Iowans will now be able to access live translations of important information about the COVID-19 pandemic. Iowa PBS is offering second audio program (SAP) services in Spanish for its coverage of Governor Kim Reynolds' weekday COVID-19 press conferences and Iowa Press Special: Coronavirus episodes.
The Spanish translations of these programs will be available as they broadcast live on Iowa PBS through SAP. Viewers can also stream the Spanish versions of the programs and press conferences later with dubbed audio on-demand on iowapbs.org and YouTube, and Iowa Press specials will be available on the PBS Video App.
Iowa PBS was moved to provide Spanish language information to better serve Iowa's Spanish-speaking community. Producers were alerted to the need by online viewers commenting during Gov Reynolds' live news conferences and a question from the Iowa Office of Latino Affairs. As Iowa's only statewide television network, Iowa PBS includes public safety as a priority in its public service mission.
"We are proud to offer this vital service to Iowa's Spanish-speaking communities to help keep everyone up-to-date on fast changing health and safety information," said Iowa PBS Executive Director and General Manager Molly Phillips. "We were happy to work with the Iowa Office of Latino Affairs to work quickly and diligently to address this public safety concern and better fulfill our mission — to educate, inform, enrich, and inspire all Iowans."
As Gov Reynolds continues to provide updates on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic, Iowa PBS will offer Spanish translations of her addresses available on air and online. The news conferences are broadcast on Iowa PBS WORLD .3 at 11AM, Monday through Friday, and livestreamed on iowapbs.org, YouTube, and Facebook. Broadcast viewers will be able to access Spanish audio via the SAP service. The press conferences will be available to stream with Spanish audio on-demand on iowapbs.org and YouTube.
Spanish translations will also be available for Iowa Press Special: Coronavirus via SAP. Episodes with Spanish audio and subtitles will be available on-demand on iowapbs.org and YouTube. "Iowa Press Special: Coronavirus" features a panel of experts discussing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Iowa and answering viewer questions. The programs air weekly on statewide Iowa PBS .1 Fridays at 7:30PM and Sundays at 11:30AM.
Spanish-speaking Iowans interested in submitting questions for the "Iowa Press Special: Coronavirus" panelists will be able to do so in Spanish via e-mail and social media. The questions will then be translated into English and shared with the experts each week.
Viewers in need of additional assistance accessing the SAP feature on their televisions may find the following instructions, also available in English and Spanish on iowapbs.org/espanol, helpful:
When programs have an audio track featuring Spanish translation, Iowa PBS carries that audio on the Second Audio Program (SAP). The SAP is controlled in a variety of ways depending on your set and how you receive your television. For viewers using an antenna or cable without a set top box, the SAP controls are often located in the audio menu and could be designated as SAP, MTS, audio B, or audio 2. If the second audio is the desired source, make sure it's turned on. Some televisions provide an MTS, SAP or AUDIO button on the supplied remote-control. Viewers who use a set-top box, Digital Video Recorder (DVR), satellite receiver, or other video source need to select other languages from the menu of these devices.
The Spanish version of this press release can be found at iowapbs.org/espanol.
Learn more at iowapbs.org.
Iowa PBS is formerly known as Iowa Public Television. New name. Same essential mission.
As Iowa's only statewide television network, Iowa PBS's mission to educate, inform, enrich and inspire Iowans guides its quality, noncommercial programming that tells Iowa's stories like no one else can. Four statewide, public channels offer programs of lasting value to Iowans, regardless of where they live or what they can afford: Iowa PBS .1, Iowa PBS KIDS .2, Iowa PBS WORLD .3 and Iowa PBS Create .4 on Channel 11, Des Moines; Channel 12, Iowa City; Channel 21, Fort Dodge; Channel 24, Mason City; Channel 27, Sioux City; Channel 32, Waterloo; Channel 32, Council Bluffs; Channel 36, Davenport; and Channel 36, Red Oak. More information can be found at iowapbs.org.
