Comcast Lets Viewers Vote On ‘Voice’ With Voice Remotes

Now Comcast subscribers can use their voice-powered remote controls to vote during The Voice.

Viewers watching the NBC singing competition can say “Vote for The Voice” into their remotes and  an on screen ballot will pop up. The ballot is also accessible by Comcast subscriber with the Xfinity X1 operating system by pushing the “info” button.

Comcast subscriber are the only viewers who can vote directly through their TV for their favorites on the show as it airs live, starting with Monday night’s episode.

“We look forward to amplifying the excitement of the live shows even more by giving fans of watching The Voice on X1 a new way to interact with the show this season,” said Daniel Spinosa, VP, Entertainment Services for Comcast Cable. “We believe X1 offers customers the best in-home entertainment experience, and this is another great example of how we are partnering with networks to leverage the platform to create new interactive experiences.”

NBC is owned by Comcast.

“The Voice has always been a show that leverages the digital space, and each season we continue to innovate on ways to engage fans across platforms,” said Rob Hayes, executive VP, digital at NBC Entertainment. “The X1 partnership, which gives audiences a seamless interactive viewing experience, is a natural extension of The Voice’s brand as one of the most social shows on television.”

Related: TV's start listening to thier masters' voices

Comcast introduced its voice remote in 2015. It allows viewers to find programs to watch without scrolling through menus. Comcast has sometime programmed some special features for its remote, such as when the Minions movie came out, viewer could access clips from the movie by saying “banana,” a referend to the yellow creatures’ favorite food.

At this point, comcat has deployed nearly 17 million X1 voice remotes. Last month the company announced viewers could use their voice to control video playback.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.