Campbell

Definition

In the context of The Media as a Political Institution within Introduction to Political Science, Campbell refers to the Campbell's Law, which posits that once a social indicator (like media metrics) is used as a target for conduct, it ceases to function as an accurate measure because people start to game or optimize performance for that metric rather than focusing on the original goal. This concept highlights the impact of media as a political institution by showing how media metrics can influence behaviors and decisions in ways that might undermine genuine engagement or understanding.

Related terms

Gatekeeping: The process through which information is filtered for dissemination by the media.

Agenda: setting - The ability of the news media to influence the importance placed on the topics of the public agenda.

Framing: The way events and issues are organized and presented by the media which can influence audience perception and interpretation