Political Communication Terminology

noun a person or thing that shapes or influences the opinions of others

• The opinion former in the group was seen as a respected authority on the matter.
• She's the opinion former in our friend group, everyone looks to her for advice.
• He's the go-to opinion former when it comes to fashion trends.
• As a journalist, she has become an opinion former in the world of politics.

noun A spin room is a place where political operatives or spokespersons attempt to shape the interpretation of events to favor their candidate or party.

• The spin room is where political candidates go to speak to the press after a debate.
• Let's head to the spin room and see if we can catch any juicy gossip.
• I heard there was a lot of drama in the spin room last night.
• Sometimes it feels like my head is stuck in a never-ending spin room of conflicting information.