Facebook Status = Media Coverage: Real Life Example

I have many Facebook friends and Twitter followers that represent media outlets. Occasionally, my status updates end up as leads for stories in their publications. Below is a real-life example from just last week.

From the Facebook Status Feed of Sarah Hubbard, August 13, 2009 – initially posted at 10:00 a.m. (my friends names have been changed to protect the innocent!)

Sarah Hubbard is wondering if there will be an angry mob at MIS this weekend over the ticket tax?
6 hours ago · Comment

Debbie M. : ticket tax?
6 hours ago · Delete

Sarah Hubbard : Word on the street here in Lansing is that Gov is proposing adding sales tax to entertainment related tickets to raise revenue to help balance the budget.
5 hours ago · Delete

Kurt B. : if not, there should be.
5 hours ago · Delete

Jim M. : just stay away from the phones
5 hours
ago · Delete

Rebecca S. : If she really wanted to raise some funds, she's put a tax on the port-o-johns at MIS.
3 hours ago

One of my Facebook friends is a reporter for a Detroit business publication and was intrigued by my status update about the proposed tax on tickets and used Facebook to send me an instant message and asked if I'd like to discuss the topic in more detail for a story later that day. Of course I obliged and the result is below:

1:19 pm, August 13, 2009

Ticket tax, phase-out of MBT surcharge to be proposed by governor, report says
By Bill Shea, Crain's Detroit Business

The infamous “ticket tax” that Detroit's four professional sports teams jointly and successfully lobbied against in 2007, could rise from the dead.

A report today from Lansing-based Michigan Information & Research Service Inc., a subscription service that provides news on state government, said that Gov. Jennifer Granholm is expected to offer up a list of budget-balancing proposals that includes extending Michigan's six-percent sales tax to entertainment tickets.

For full story, go here.

My quotes:

Sarah Hubbard, vice president of government relations for the Detroit Regional Chamber, saw the MIRS report this morning: “This is all just sort of rumor and innuendo right now. I'm not surprised they would try to bring that (ticket tax) back. They see it as taxing people that can afford entertainment. We see it as increasing the price of entertainment.

If we're going to go down the road of service taxes, they need to be broad-based and not pick and choose companies. It takes us where we were in 2007.”

She also predicted interesting conversation in the business community on the fate of the film incentives, which some say are unfair and others credit for turning Michigan into the nation's hotspot for new movies.

“There's been lots of mixed reaction about the film credit,” she said. “The people taking advantage of it want to keep it and believe its building an industry here. Others don't think it's fair. I think you'll see a mixed debate on the future of that tax credit.”

So, if you're wondering what the ROI is for social media, just put a value on the traditional media exposure and add it up!