I think everyone is in agreement that the terminology used by media/journalists cannot stop the success or failure of Bitcoin and it will live/die by it's own merits.  I would argue that it can effect cultural views of cryptocurrency, at least in the short term.  The base of these terms are not new - digital, virtual, crypto.  Though they can mean the same thing if used in speech and understood through context, they differ slightly, more so by a measure of degree than a measure of definition.  I'm no linguist and can only speak to my own culture but here are my emotional reactions to these words being a native english speaker:

Virtual - a mock/fake version.  Virtual reality.
Digital - a non-physical item, a version of a object that cannot be held but still serves the same function.  ie a digital copy of a game versus a physical disc.
Crypto - encryption, secret, math, dark, unknown

I like to think of it as lighting up certain areas of your brain through word association and imagery.  Priming you for the message that is being given.  Now this is not some conspiracy post.  We all do these subtle manipulations in our life to push our own beliefs and agenda (though some do so with more sinister intention than others).  It may not even be intentional, but a product of the natural skepticism and lack of knowledge of the uninitiated.

I would prefer everyone use the newly (relatively so) coined term cryptocurrency and force the general public to learn the definition through exposure.  As has been said in this thread already digital currency already sits in your online bank account.  Virtual currency already sits in your World of Warcraft bag.  Cryptocurrency is new and it can change everything.