Yahoo Inc hires former Google director Michael Barrett as chief revenue officer

In a move aimed at reemerging as an entertainment and information destination, Yahoo Inc has hired former Google director and media veteran Michael Barrett.

Barrett, who would function as chief revenue officer, is one of new interim CEO Ross Levinsohn's first key appointments, underscoring signs that Yahoo -- a company that had suffered from strategy flip-flops under successive CEOs, was now thinking of itself as more of a media company than a technology company.

Those close to Levinsohn say he is committed to building out Yahoo's own video programming and striking more syndication deals in pursuit of ads that commanded a higher price.

This would be the second time that Barrett and Levinsohn would be working together. They had worked together once at Fox Interactive Media where too, Barrett held the title of chief revenue officer overseeing worldwide revenue for properties including MySpace and FoxSports.com.

Barrett's most recent assignment was at Google where he led integration efforts following the acquisition of digital advertising platform Admeld Inc where was CEO.

Barrett would assume his new position in July and his responsibilities would include Yahoo's ad revenue and operations globally.