As you alluded, the problem with today's sensationalist media is that they treat the polar vortex as a surface phenomenon and something new.  Heck, I studied the polar region upper circulation in meteorology school in the 1970s. The "vortex" term sounds ominous to people as well, some likening it to a hurricane or tornado. 

On a Monday morning last winter in the Denver, CO area, I heard a radio announcer highlight, "A polar vortex moved thru Colorado over the weekend!"  Huh? It was simply a strong arctic surge covering much of the state.

The media jumps on these new buzzwords like polar vortex or atmospheric river as if we never had severe arctic cold waves or excessive rain flooding in past U.S. weather history.  The more a NOAA blog such as this can help calm down the hysteria, the better.