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Facebook taps former NBC journalist Campbell Brown as head of news partnerships

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By Rebecca Stewart, Trends Editor

January 6, 2017 | 3 min read

Facebook has hired former NBC News correspondent Campbell Brown to lead its news partnership team as it continues its battle against fake news on the platform.

Facebook Hires Campbell Brown to Lead News Partnerships Team

Facebook taps former NBC journalist Campbell Brown as head of news partnerships / Facebook

Brown previously worked as a TV reporter for both NBC and CNN, most recently heading up her non-profit site, The Seventy Four, which is dedicated to covering stories about US education.

Facebook first announced it was recruiting for the post back in December when the issue of fake news began to dominate conversation in the industry.

According to the original job listing, Brown's responsibilities will include: managing relationships with news organisations, developing strategies and programs that foster greater collaboration and alignment between the company and news outlets, and soliciting and incorporating feedback from media owners on product development and prioritisation, among other tasks.

Writing in a Facebook post, she admitted the new title would be a "different role" for her, but said she would tap into her newsroom experience to help organisations and journalists work more closely and effectively with Facebook.

"I will be working directly with our partners to help them understand how Facebook can expand the reach of their journalism, and contribute value to their businesses. That also means making sure there is ongoing feedback from publishers as Facebook develops new products and tools for news organisations," Brown added.

Until recently Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg had remained adamant that the business is not a media company, although last week he appeared to soften his stance, asserting: "Facebook is a new kind of platform. It’s not a traditional technology company. It’s not a traditional media company. You know, we build technology and we feel responsible for how it’s used."

According to the New York Times, Facebook executives have hinted that Brown's role will not be to act as editor-in-chief, as has been previously suggested by some critics, but instead to liaise with news outlets so that Facebook can better meet their journalistic and business needs.

The Drum has reached out to Facebook for further comment and will update when a spokesperson responds.

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