A report commissioned by the Tulsa Regional Chamber estimates the final two weeks of the 2016 legislative session was worth $50.9 million of bad publicity.
The Tulsa World’s Randy Krehbiel reports that's based on what's known as the advertising value equivalency of news coverage of a transgender bathroom bill, public education funding, and the state budget crisis:
Essentially, advertising value equivalency tracks the theoretical cost of an equivalent amount of advertising in or on the news sources cited. It’s best known for monitoring “positive” coverage, such as reports on businesses moving to town or expanding. The Tulsa Regional Chamber, though, decided to experiment a little. It asked its media-monitoring contractor, Meltwater, to analyze just those three issues as they related to Oklahoma. From May 18 through June 2, Meltwater tabulated $138 million in advertising value equivalency for those three subjects. Most of the coverage — almost $88 million — was rated “neutral.” Only $326,604 worth was rated positive, and more than half of that was attributed to Republican state Rep. Jadine Nollan’s column in the Sand Springs Leader.
The Chamber's senior vice president for education and workforce Brian Paschal says whether or not those measures pass or fail isn't the issue, it's the first impression that sticks. He told the newspaper Oklahoma's national perception matters when it comes to attracting employers and skilled workers.
From Krehbiel:
Some lawmakers — and many voters — cite religious or moral concerns for their positions on things such as one of the issues studied, access for transgender people to public school facilities. Paschal said his job is promoting education and matching workers with employers. “We have (chamber) members who need skilled workers,” he said. “There has to be some recognition of the … perception of the state outside of Oklahoma.” “For Oklahoma to be successful, we have to have a skilled workforce,” Doctor said. “Being an attractive place to live is a piece of that success.”
KGOU produces journalism in the public interest, essential to an informed electorate. Help support informative, in-depth journalism with a donation online, or contact our Membership department.
