Facebook hires YouTube exec as part of global music strategy

In an announcement made over the weekend, former Director of Music Partnerships at YouTube and Google Play, Tamara Hrivnak, is now the Director of Global Music Licensing at Facebook.

The move is a significant step in Facebook’s impending bid to increase its presence in the music business. The company has lacked a serious music strategy in the past, which has subsequently affected both the industry and musicians.

Hrivnak confirmed she was joining the social media giant (via Facebook) to “lead global music strategy and business development”, and that she was looking forward to “deepening Facebook’s relationship with the music industry.”

Hrivnak, who is an attorney, spent eight years working for Warner Music Group in various roles including Vice President, Digital Business Affairs & Strategy for Warner/Chappell. In 2011, she departed Warner and secured a position at YouTube/Google Play, overseeing the creation and implementation of YouTube’s Content ID tool.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg indicated in 2016 that one of the company’s chief strategies going forward was to prioritise the video medium, with music videos becoming much more popular on Facebook in recent times.

Zuckerberg has also expressed his admiration of the success of Musical.ly, an instant music video service. Last year, Facebook acquired interactive music app Eyegroove, a move that will presumably have an important part to play in the company’s future endeavours.

The platform has been targeted by the industry over the last year with takedown requests over copyright infringing cover songs that are commonly found in music videos. Facebook is now strongly tipped to adopt licensed music content in the future, with the hiring of Hrivnak serving as a big indicator of its preeminent plans for the future.