Facebook Video Team Hires MTV Exec To Develop Original Content

Facebook has been putting a lot of focus on pushing video on its platform, and now it has taken another huge step in that very same direction. The social networking site has just hired the former VP of scripted programming at MTV, Mina Lefevre.

“I am excited to share that I will be embarking on my new adventure as Head of Development at Facebook,” Lefevre said on her Facebook page. “I have always been drawn to the idea of building something and the idea of being part of the team that helps build Facebook’s original content ecosystem… well, that just seems like a dream!”

The hiring of Lefevre was confirmed by Facebook to Quartz earlier today. The former MTV executive has worked on popular shows like “Teen Wolf,” “Awkward” and “Scream.” She also spent 12 years working for ABC Family working on scripted series such as “Pretty Little Liars,” “Melissa & Joey” and “The Fosters.”

Facebook’s recruitment of Lefevre may seem like an unusual choice, but it does line up with the company’s current effort in delivering its own original video content.

It was reported last week that Facebook was working on its own TV-style video app wherein it would allow users to stream video content. The social networking giant is also said to be in talks with various media companies for licensing their original content, while also seeking publishers to create Facebook exclusives.

Lefevre will be responsible for the development of scripted and unscripted content for Facebook, according to Deadline. She will also be working with the team of Ricky Van Veen, Facebook’s head of global creative strategy who was also one of the co-founders of CollegeHumor.

There’s no word yet on what type of original shows Facebook is planning to release, but it looks like it’s not going to compete with the likes of Netflix, Hulu or Amazon. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that he wanted Facebook to focus on short-form video being pushed out to the News Feed, according to Business Insider.

Analysts believe that this focus on short clips rather than longer videos would work well with how most people use Facebook. This also positions the social network as more of a rival to YouTube as it plans to pay video creators through shared ad revenues.