Late last year, we announced the industry's first voice-enabled television user interface, a "talking guide" solution that changed the way Xfinity TV customers, especially those who are blind or have visual disabilities, navigate television.

And just a few weeks ago, as the feature went live for millions of X1 customers, we helped spark an even bigger conversation about how people with disabilities enjoy entertainment through a national campaign called "Emily’s Oz." Emily is a seven-year-old girl who has been blind since birth and her story is about what she sees when she watches her favorite movie, The Wizard of Oz™. 

All of this work is aimed at creating opportunities for people who love film and television, but who might not have the opportunity to experience it to its fullest.  And we’re starting to get some recognition from some of the most important organizations in the accessibility space.

We recently received a Corporate Recognition Award at the 55th Annual Louis Braille Awards, hosted by the Associated Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ASB).  And last night, Comcast accepted the Corporate Leadership Award from the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). In April, our company will be honored with an American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) 2015 Access Award, given annually to corporations and organizations that eliminate or substantially reduce inequities faced by people with vision loss.

We are proud of this recognition but are even more humbled by the impact our talking guide technology is having on our customers.  I think our own Tom Wlodkowski says it best:

"The power of TV is universal…It has become one of the most culturally important forms of communication in today’s society: it’s a source of news and information, it’s what we discuss on Twitter, it’s what we talk about at work the next day, it’s what many people schedule their life around. It’s a medium that should be accessible for all."

We’re still just scratching the surface of what’s possible in the accessibility space and are excited about what’s to come.