Saw this over on NeoGaf

Eurogamer: I want to ask about indie games and why you decided not to enable self-publishing when so many of your competitors and other places do?

Phil Spencer: Today what we've said is we don't have a self-publishing system in place. But what we do look at: we support the indie development community, we've had over 200 developers ship over 400 games on our platform; over a billion dollars in revenue for independent developers selling content through our ecosystem. From the beginning of Xbox Live we have been committed to indie games, and we will continue to do that. Things like self-publishing, things like discovery of content, things like promotion - these are things that we are committed to, and our platform will evolve.

If you could boot your Xbox 360 seven years ago when it launched, when you first bought it and you looked at the experience we had, and over the years how we added functionality... We understand the desires of certain developers out there. We want all the developers to work on our platform. We want to make a commitment to the plans we have in place and what we're launching and that's what we're doing today.

Making sure content shows up on our platform, you understand what content people are playing. So you see trending; you have search to search for any piece of content to make sure that any pieces of content that hit Xbox One are actually discoverable and easily purchasable; and then part of your library that roams with you wherever you go - that's an important step. And that's what we're committed to at launch. We want to make sure we're making the right commitments at the right time. Our ears are open on self-publishing and other changes and advancements in our publishing ecosystem, but I don't want to stand up and commit to things that aren't plan of record now. That would be wrong.

Eurogamer: So, to be clear, you're open to the possibility of self-publishing in the future? Things may change?

Phil Spencer: Absolutely.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-06-13-the-big-interview-microsoft-studios-phil-spencer-discusses-xbox-one

Great news. This is a start.

Let us hope they back pedal just a bit more.

Why does it have to be labled as backpeddling?

Just like they were listening about the DRM?

(Two weeks before E3 2013)

I agree. It's not backpedaling. It's just as meaningless as when their "ears were open" about DRM.

Probably because the initially stated that they will not allow self publishing, only to now say that their ears are open to the idea.

Sounds like a change to me.

like they did with the fans...

Let us bring back the terrible catchphrase of 2004 presidential campaign... Flip-flopping! However, they are doing more flopping than flipping.

Do active listen, parrot back the concerns, show empathy, and then go about doing what you were doing before.  Nothing changes and hope the irate people go away and maybe get seduced by later software offerings.

A change is not the same as backpedaling, though.  Backpedaling has a strong, negative connation to it, as if someone is cowering or retreating.  The truth is that this is in line with what they always stated.

Here's the original report where Matt Booty gave the first statements on it:  http://www.shacknews.com/article/79309/xbox-one-wont-allow-indies-to-self-publish-games  This is pretty much in line with what Spencer stated.  

If we start labeling every change someone makes as backpedaling (for instance, Sony charging for PS+ and the reactions to it), these forums will easily become a lot more heated.  Honestly, all of us really need to step back and reevaluate how we communicate what we're trying to say.  A little forethought goes a long way.