Chris Satchell
Satchell leads the design and development of Comcast Cable’s product portfolio as well as the engineering for X1 and mobile applications. In the past year he restructured product teams to put customers first (followed by brand and then business), delivered a next-gen Olympics experience with up to 40 simultaneous IP streams, enhanced the Xfinity video app and delivered customer experience integrations to X1. Satchell says Comcast’s commitment to diversity stems from policies established by top leadership as well as looking outside the company for guidance. “This comes right from the top: Comcast and NBCUniversal’s Internal Diversity Councils are comprised of senior executives who guide their respective business units in implementing and sustaining these policies, cross-company… In my own world at Comcast, half of the executive senior leadership team I belong to is diverse.”
What grade do you give the cable industry on diversity and why?
While I have only been in the industry/with Comcast for a short period of time, it is clear to me that our company values diversity and lives the practices that promote inclusion. This comes right from the top: Comcast and NBCUniversal’s Internal Diversity Councils are comprised of senior executives who guide their respective business units in implementing and sustaining these policies, cross-company. We also look outside the company for guidance; our external Joint Diversity Advisory Council (JDC) is made up of national leaders in business, politics and civil rights, who guide our teams regarding Governance, Our People, Supplier Diversity, Programming and Community Investment. The JDC represents the interests of African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, women, Native Americans, veterans, people with disabilities and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. In my own world at Comcast, half of the executive senior leadership team I belong to is diverse.
The technology that will most benefit cable over the next year is…
There are a number of technologies that will be transformative, especially when taken in context together. DOCIS 3.1 is a key technology transformation to the network services we deliver to our customers. To fully utilize the advantages of better digital pipes to the home, next year will see the launch and growing importance of smart wifi/Internet gateways and management services. Rich meta-data around content, combined with machine learning will transform how consumer interact with content. Lastly, intelligent voice control will give us a way to flatten the user interface within and across services. Taken together these advances will significantly advance the customer experience of cable.
What television show/s – cable or broadcast – best embrace diversity?
I don’t think “Lost” got the credit it deserved for putting such a large, diverse cast on the screen. It represented so many cultures and lifestyles and used the background of each of its characters to help drive the overall narrative of the show forward. I think that, along with the riveting story, this diversity helped make the characters compelling and relatable.