Abstract

The author traces how shifts in media terminology – from “propaganda” to “public relations,” and Soviet “collective” to contemporary “teamwork” – reshape professional identity and public discourse. Drawing on Harold D. Lasswell, Egon Erwin Kish and historical examples, the study analyses how lexical change operates both as a tool for reframing contested practices and as an index of broader social shifts; for example, journalists’ substitution of terms such as "tendency" with "intrigue" alters how events are interpreted. Arguing that analytical journalism inherently blends factual description with authorial intention, the paper shows that terminological metamorphosis crucially mediates persuasion and public opinion, demanding communicators who can recognise and ethically navigate the rhetorical effects of evolving vocabulary.