FOX Network broadcasts two audio channels. One designated “ENGLISH” and one designed “SPANISH” on viewer’s digital TV’s. On selected FOX network programming, such as Major League Baseball, NASCAR, NFL On FOX and certain movies, on the Spanish channel FOX will replace the English audio that is heard on the ENGLISH main channel with either Spanish language or a new thing the FCC calls “Audio Description” where a narrator’s voice will describe in short phrases what is happening on the screen for those viewers who are visually impaired.
Example:
Homer: YOU LITTLE ….!!!!!
Bart: (Choking sound)
Narrator: Homer chokes Bart.
This sometimes confuses viewers who mistakenly think the TV station has gone crazy or has been taken over. In reality there is no issue with the broadcast. You may only experience this on WSYM or it just started with the current program or it is only during the race (ballgame, movie, etc.) and all the commercials are fine. This confirms there is nothing wrong with the broadcast.
The problem is the viewer has accidentally or maybe on purpose, changed the audio channel from ENGLISH to SPANISH and doesn’t realize it. Most of the time, English will be broadcast on the SPANISH channel when there is no programming providing Spanish audio so most viewers never realize they are on the incorrect audio channel until a program with Spanish or Audio Description is broadcast. It is very easy to correct. Only the viewer can fix this. The TV station has no way to correct the issue.
And here is how you do it.
On a viewer’s remote control there may be wording something like MTS or SAP or AUDIO or SPANISH. By pushing the appropriate button will normally cycle through the choices until the correct setting is found. For viewers who do not have a remote control or their remote control does not list any audio settings, the viewer will need to go into the digital TV or converter box MENU and look for AUDIO. In those settings will list the audio channels available and can be changed there. The settings can be changed when English is being broadcast. Watch for the current setting displayed on your TV screen to see which audio channel is active.
Performing this task will change the audio setting from the SPANISH audio channel back to the ENGLISH audio channel.
