Selling Newspapers

"The Prophet exists to sell itself, you silly girl."

-- Rita Skeeter to Hermione, who had just asked whether the Prophet existed to tell people what they want to hear (OP25)

BB NOTE: When reading scandalizing stories in the press, it is often helpful to ask oneself "Why is this in the paper now?" As someone who has worked on Capitol Hill and has been in the Washington scene for a long time, I can say with conviction that nothing is in the media by accident. Just keep it mind.

Jo Rowling has a few things to say about the Media in her Harry Potter series. Here's an overview from the amazing Harry Potter Lexiconon the major publication of the wizarding world: The Daily Prophet. The rest is up to you.


The newspaper of the Wizarding World is called The Daily Prophet. It has been in existence since at least 1883, since Quidditch Through the Ages cites its coverage of Quidditch from that time (QA6). The current editor is Barnabas Cuffe (HBP4). It has offices in Diagon Alley (DP) and publishes an edition every morning. Evening editions are also printed, and these can apparently be delivered very quickly after an important story breaks. A witch or wizard anywhere in Britain can have a copy in hand within a short time of publication. For example, when Ron and Harry were spotted by Muggles flying the Anglia, Snape had a copy of the Prophet in his hand telling about it very shortly after they arrived (CS5). One of the Muggles who spotted them was in Peebles, which is relatively close to Hogwarts, so the story couldn't have been more than an hour old at that point. Alternatively, the text of a copy of the Prophet delivered in the morning might change as the day wears on with the latest news using something similar to the Protean Charm which Hermione used on the fake Galleons.

Typically, the Prophet is delivered each morning by owl post (PS5, GF28, OP12, HBP11). A subscription can be paid for in advance or the recipient can pay for the newspaper when it arrives by putting the coins in a small pouch on the leg of the post owl who delivers it. The cost per issue was five Knuts the summer before Harry's first year (PS5) but appears to have risen to seven Knuts later on (DP).

The Prophet is not the only publication in the Wizarding World, but it is almost certainly the most widely read. Stories in the Prophet often color public opinion to a great amount. When the Prophet published stories deriding Harry Potter and Dumbledore, most people in the Wizarding World believed what they read.

As happened during the summer of Y15, when Harry and Dumbledore were slandered in the Prophet, it is possible for the newspaper to be manipulated and for its content to be slanted intentionally. The Ministry of Magic was reponsible for the unfair journalism of that summer as Cornelius Fudge strove to discredit Dumbledore's account of the return of Voldemort. Unfortunately, the Prophet does not seem to have a lot of journalistic integrity, as is clear from the fact that Rita Skeeter wrote for it regularly until the spring of Y15.

The evening edition is called the Evening Prophet (CS5). The weekend edition is called the Sunday Prophet (OP38).

Known Daily Prophet Headlines

FLYING FORD ANGLIA MYSTIFIES MUGGLES (CS5)

CANNONS GO DOWN IN A SHOWER OF ARROWS (DP)

FAULTY WANDS RECALLED (DP)

MAGPIE CHASER "ONLY TRIED FOOTBALL FOR A LAUGH" (DP)

MUGGLES NOT AS STUPID AS WE THINK, SAYS MINISTRY REPORT (DP)

Puddlemere United (DP)

Holyhead Harpies draw record crowd (DP)

CELESTINA WARBECK CONCERT CAUSES BROOM SMASH OVER LIVERPOOL (DP)

ENQUIRY AT THE IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE (DP)

'TROLL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OUT OF CONTROL' (DP)

WHY THE JOKE'S ON THE MINISTRY, NOT ON THE MUGGLES Holyhead Harpies draw record crowd (DP)

BATS SURVIVE THE TORNADOS (DP)

Cannons Didn't Lose Shock (DP)

Chaos Reigns on Exmoor for Falcons & Pride of Portree (DP)

Maddock blamed for Kestrels' win (DP)

Wilda wallops the Wigs (DP)

GOBLIN RIOTS ERUPT IN CHIPPING CLODBURY (DP)

Making sure the purchaser of your old wand is human (DP)

Why can't goblins be more like elves? by Winkus Oddpick (DP)

MUGGLEMANIAC MADDOCK MUST QUIT MAGPIES, SAYS MCLEOD (DP)

SEEKERS JINXED AS PRIDE OF PORTREE FALL TO THE ARROWS (DP)

BRAND NEW HARPY SAVES THE DAY (DP)

CHUDLEY CANNON WIN STUNS FANS (DP)

MINISTRY IMPOSES RESTRICTIONS (DP)

NEW POTION GIVES HOPE FOR HAGS (DP)

PUDDLEMERE CHASER VANISHES AMID CHAOS AT HOLYHEAD MATCH (DP)

CANNONS BLAST THE FALCONS (DP)

SCENES OF TERROR AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP by Rita Skeeter (GF10)

DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE by Special Correspondent Rita Skeeter (GF23)

MINISTRY SEEKS EDUCATIONAL REFORM
DOLORES UMBRIDGE APPOINTED FIRST EVER HIGH INQUISITOR (OP15)

MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN
MINISTRY FEARS BLACK IS 'RALLYING POINT' FOR OLD DEATH EATERS (OP25)

TRAGIC DEMISE OF MINISTRY OF MAGIC WORKER (OP25)

HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED RETURNS (OP38)

You-Know-Who's Last Attempt to Take Over (OP38)

What the Ministry Should Have Told Us (OP38)

Why Nobody Listened to Albus Dumbledore (OP38)

Exclusive Interview with Harry Potter (actually bought from The Quibbler) (OP38)

HARRY POTTER: THE CHOSEN ONE? (HBP3)

SCRIMGEOUR SUCCEEDS FUDGE (HBP3)

(headline not given)
Stan Shunpike arrested (HBP11)

(headline not given, Evening Prophet)
Arthur Weasley raided the Malfoys' house (HBP11)