Community Impact
Cable Industry Launches "Our Time To Vote," A $5 Million National Multi-Cultural Voter Education And Registration Campaign
Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSK, CMCSA), the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services, today announced the launch of "Our Time to Vote," a year-long, non-partisan voter education and registration campaign designed to increase voting in diverse communities served by the cable industry.
"Comcast recognizes that broader participation in the democratic process is important for our nation, and we are very pleased to launch this partnership to pursue that goal," said Comcast Executive Vice President David L. Cohen. "This campaign reflects the cable industry's commitment to strong local communities and to active public citizenship."
The estimated $5 million campaign features four multi-cultural public service announcements (PSAs), as well as the creation and launch of two nationally available voter education resources: the www.ourtimetovote.com webpage and a voter information resources hotline, 1.866.544.VOTE.
The PSAs will begin airing on December 15, leading up to the 2008 primary elections in Comcast, Time Warner, Cox Communications, Inc. and Bright House Networks markets. They feature appearances by African American, Asian American and Hispanic entertainers and leaders, including Ana Ortiz, George Lopez, Lou Diamond Phillips, Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Margaret Cho, encouraging diverse audiences to register to vote. A series of "Get out the Vote" spots will run from September 1, 2008, through November 3, 2008, just prior to the general election. The PSAs can be viewed at:
http://www.comcastnews.com/Multicultural2008.wmv
http://www.comcastnews.com/AfricanAmerican2008.wmv
http://www.comcastnews.com/Asian2008.wmv
http://www.comcastnews.com/Hispanic2008.wmv
"Too few Americans vote and that hurts our democracy," said FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps. "Our Time to Vote' is a welcome and multi-faceted campaign to promote citizen participation in the electoral process. It's a real public service."
The Comcast Foundation has also awarded grants to the following organizations to help support their nonpartisan voter outreach efforts:
"Voting is one of our most sacred responsibilities, as we nurture and advance our democracy with every vote cast," said Congresswoman Illeana Ros-Lehntinen (R, FL-18). "Being able to vote and not participating in the process is tantamount to giving up your right on deciding what public official will govern our affairs. I applaud Comcast for their continued leadership in our community and throughout the nation."
"Voter participation by the African American community is critical to the election of the next President of the United States and other key leadership positions," said Congresswoman Carolyn Kilpatrick (D, MI-13), Chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus. "Our community will be empowered through the voting process. This type of private, non-profit partnership is necessary to engage the community."
"Hispanic voter participation is critical to the election of the next President of the United States and other key leadership positions," said Congressman Joe Baca (D, CA-43), Chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. "If our community is going to have a say - now and in the future - on the issues that matter most to us, we must show our empowerment at the polls. This type of unique partnership serves as a great example for other corporations to replicate."
"The Asian American and Pacific Islander community is critical to the election of the next United States President and other key leaders," said Congressman Mike Honda (D, CA-15), Chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. "Launching the Our Time to Vote' campaign sets an example for other private, non-profit partnerships."
"Our Time to Vote' is designed to bring a wide range of diverse Americans into the voting process," added Susan Gonzales, Corporate Senior Director of Federal and External Affairs and Vice President of the Comcast Foundation. "As a company dedicated to diversity, we are pleased to make this contribution to broadened civic engagement in the African American, Asian American and Pacific Islander and Hispanic communities."
Comcast's overall commitment to diversity is focused in four key areas: attracting and retaining a multicultural workforce, developing a diverse supplier group, offering a wide selection of multicultural programming and pledging significant community investments.
About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (http://www.comcast.com) is the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services. With 24.2 million cable customers, 12.9 million high-speed Internet customers, and 4.1 million voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.
Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, AZN Television, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, Comcast SportsNet and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's Internet business. Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.
About the Comcast Foundation
The Comcast Foundation was established by Comcast Corporation in 1999 to provide charitable support to Section 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. The Foundation primarily invests in programs intended to have a positive, sustainable impact in the areas of volunteerism, literacy, and youth leadership development. Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated more than $43 million to organizations in the communities that Comcast serves nationwide. More information about the Foundation and its programs is available at www.comcast.com/neighborhood.