科技英语新闻:Netflix CEO joins Facebook board

SAN FRANCISCO, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Facebook announced Thursday that Netflix CEO and Chairman Reed Hastings has joined the social network company's board of directors.

Hastings, who successfully managed Netflix through an IPO in 2002, is expected to provide useful guidance for Facebook which plans to go public.

As the most popular subscription-based movie and television show rental service in the United States, Netflix could also help Facebook figure out how to enter the business of music streaming and movies, which, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said at the eG8 Forum held in Paris last month, would be Facebook's next focus.

The Facebook board seat could also help Netflix to catch up with the social evolution of the Internet with its 23.6 million subscribers in the U.S. and Canada.

"Reed is an entrepreneur and technologist who has led Netflix to transform the way people watch movies and TV," said Zuckerberg in a statement. "He has built a culture of continuous rapid innovation, something we share and work hard to build every day."

"Facebook is propelling a fundamental change in how people connect with each other and share all kinds of content," said Hastings. "I'm looking forward to working with Mark and the rest of the board to help Facebook take advantage of all the opportunities ahead."