The study analyzes the specificity of creation of media context of HBO “Chernobyl” series (using the example of The New Yorker, The New York Times and The Washington Post). The article defines the tendencies of series` media-reception and its functional features. It was found out that the concept of “Chernobyl” is changing consituationally and is shown as potentially-prolonged actual model. The journalists give the series more political meanings rather than cultural or artistic ones. To investigate American press, the method of analysis and the comparative method were applied. It made possible to find out common and different features of depicting HBO “Chernobyl”. With th help of systematic method specific components of “Chernobyl” as media discourse were considered. The novelty of the research is in its attempt to describe the ways media are able to present concepts and change their meanings as well as how it affects the structure of media discourse. The results of the work are important for the understanding of mass media impact on the comprehension of the products of mass culture.