MediaFile

It’s not so easy being an executive at Facebook during these heady days.

Just ask Mike Murphy, Facebook’s vp of media sales. Murphy was among the panelists taking part in a discussion of digital media at an Advertising Week event, and managed to avoid the subject of Microsoft’s reported interest in a Facebook investment for most of the session.

Then moderator Alison Fahey, an Adweek editor, got to the point after Murphy tried to answer a question about the company’s biggest challenge.

Murphy: “The single biggest challenge for us is just global expansion and being able to handle it –”

Fahey: Why don’t you get some money from Microsoft?

Murphy: Microsoft is a great partner.

Fahey: Are they going to be a bigger partner?

Murphy: As far as the biggest challenge… Alison’s question is my biggest challenge. Or trying to ignore Alison’s question is my biggest challenge.

Fahey: That’s a no-comment?

Murphy: There are so many rumors in the market about Facebook. I was looking at our press clipping last week and we were mentioned in 9,800 articles and we were in 1,700 –

Fahey: I’m only talking about the one today.

Murphy: There are a lot of rumors out there and we don’t comment on them.

Fahey: OK, just needed some closure on that, Mike.

Murphy: Thank you.

Sounds like Murphy just answered Fahey’s question .