Earlier this year, Netflix said it was planning “extensive” Facebook integration. Last month, Mark Zuckerberg said that TV, music and books are the next “media experiences” that will be revolutionized by social media. So perhaps it should come to no surprise that Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is becoming Facebook’s sixth board member.
“Reed is an entrepreneur and technologist who has led Netflix to transform the way people watch movies and TV,” said Zuckerberg. “He has built a culture of continuous rapid innovation, something we share and work hard to build every day.”
Netflix has had a bit of a bumpy ride on the social front, discontinuing a Facebook Connect feature earlier this year and promising a “regroup” on social strategy. It’s now working on a larger Facebook integration project — even hiring a dedicated social team to build it — that’s due to roll out in the coming months. If it’s successful, Netflix’s Facebook integration could become a model of social TV, and Hastings’ role on the board will ensure that Netflix is a priority partner.
Meanwhile, Facebook has been experimenting with renting movies for Facebook credits — for example, Warner Bros. is streaming Inception and the Dark Knight.
“Facebook is propelling a fundamental change in how people connect with each other and share all kinds of content,” said Hastings in the Facebook press release. “I’m looking forward to working with Mark and the rest of the board to help Facebook take advantage of all the opportunities ahead.”