Daily Prophet

The Daily Prophet is a wizarding newspaper based in London. It is the primary source of news for British wizards. The current editor is Barnabas Cuffe, who works in the main office in Diagon Alley. Because of its ability to influence the minds of many in the British wizarding community, the paper has been known to be influenced and for its content to be slanted intentionally by the Ministry of Magic (which it has strong ties with) into telling the Ministry's preferred version of events. Unfortunately, the Prophet does not seem to have a lot of journalistic integrity, as is clear from the fact that Rita Skeeter used to write for it regularly until. In some cases, the Ministry of Magic is highly reliant on the Daily Prophet to assure the public that the Ministry is doing the right thing.

The paper is delivered to subscribers by owl. Subscriptions cost one knut. This paper is delivered to professors and a few students at Hogwarts in the mornings, when the owl post arrives. The paper features a morning and evening edition, the latter of which is called the Evening Prophet. The weekend edition is called the Sunday Prophet. Additional news bulletins can be delivered quickly when important, newsworthy events occur. As news changes, an edition may magically change, too, over the course of the day, probably by means of a Protean Charm.

History
The Daily Prophet has been producing papers since at least 1883, since Quidditch Through the Ages cites its coverage of Quidditch from that time.

During the Ministry's campaign to discredit and slander Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter, the Prophet was am instrumental tool of the Ministry in their goal to convince the public that Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter were fear-mongering or simply mad. 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 Lord Voldemort. Hermione Granger subscribed to the paper to keep on top of the Ministry's agenda and see what the enemy is saying. Some people, such as Augusta Longbottom, cancelled their subscriptions due to believing in Dumbledore over the Ministry.

When the Death Eaters took over the Ministry, they also took over the Daily Prophet, and subsequently they stopped reporting deaths that Death Eaters were responsible for. They also printed biased, bogus news such as articles on Muggle-borns stealing magic from true wizards. As such, many resistance members turned to other programs for news, such as Potterwatch and the Quibbler.

Distribution
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. The most widely read alternative newspaper in the wizarding world is the Quibbler.

Description
The Daily Prophet reports on everything going on the wizarding world (albeit not always in an unbiased way). In addition to news, the Daily Prophet includes a Magizoology column is run every Wednesday and a Quidditch section which features a boxed table of all the teams in the league, ranked by total number points scored, with forthcoming matches listed side by side. This section also includes articles on recent matches and other items of interest. There is also an editorial section of the newspaper, where only few get responses, and are usually brief. The best letter is under the headline STAR LETTER. A classified advertisements section is in the newspaper, with subheadings of JOBS, FOR SALE, and LONELY HEARTS. Birth and death notices also appear on this page. The advice section of the Prophet has a variety of experts in differing fields answer readers' questions. Some topics covered in the past have been Medical Queries, Emotional Dilemmas, Legal Problems, and everyday magical problems. Sometimes, the Daily Prophet has a "fiendishly difficult" crossword puzzle, and usually has a Magic lottery and a Magical Symbols Game.

Known positions

 * Editor
 * Security Editor
 * Reporter
 * Photographer
 * Photographer's Assistant
 * Senior Quidditch Correspondent
 * Advice Columnist (General)
 * Advice Columnist for Legal Problems
 * Advice Columnist for Personal Problems
 * Advice Columnist for Medical Problems
 * Advice Columnist for Magical Problems
 * Op-Ed Columnist

Known personnel

 * Barnabas Cuffe, editor-in-chief
 * R. Amorin, security editor
 * A. Fenetre, reporter
 * Andy Smudgley, reporter
 * Betty Braithwaite, reporter
 * M. Amerinus, reporter
 * M. Carneirus, reporter
 * R. Almeidus, reporter
 * Rita Skeeter, reporter
 * E. Limus, reporter and (presumably) advice columnist
 * D. Shaman, advice columnist
 * Dr. Medusa, advice columnist (possibly)
 * Dempster Wiggleswade, advice columnist for legal problems
 * Grizel Hurtz, advice columnist for personal problems
 * Helbert Spleen, advice columnist for medical problems
 * Zamira Gulch, advice columnist for magical problems
 * Ginny Potter, senior Quidditch correspondent
 * Winkus Oddpick, op-ed columnist
 * Bozo, photographer's assistant

Known articles

 * GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST
 * GRYFFINDOR DEFENDS TITLE
 * INQUIRY AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
 * CANNONS GO DOWN IN A SHOWER OF ARROWS
 * FAULTY WANDS RECALLED
 * MAGPIE CHASER "ONLY TRIED FOOTBALL FOR A LAUGH"
 * MUGGLES NOT AS STUPID AS WE THINK, SAYS MINISTRY REPORT
 * BLACK STILL AT LARGE
 * HOLYHEAD HARPIES DRAWS RECORD CROWD
 * CELESTINA WARBECK CONCERT CAUSES BROOM CRASH OVER LIVERPOOL
 * TROLL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OUT OF CONTROL
 * BATS SURVIVE THE TORNADOS
 * CANNONS DIDN'T LOSE SHOCK
 * CHOSE REIGNS ON EXMOOR FOR FALCONS & PRIDE OF PORTREE
 * MADDOCK BLAMED FOR KESTRELS' WIN
 * WILDA WALLOPS THE WIGS
 * GOBLIN RIOTS ERUPT IN CHIPPING CLODBURY
 * MAKING SURE THE PURCHASER OF YOUR OLD WAND IS HUMAN
 * WHY CAN'T GOBLINS BE MORE LIKE ELVES
 * MUGGLEMANIAC MADDOCK MUST QUIT MAGPIES, SAYS MCLEOD
 * SEEKERS JINXED AS PRIDE OF PORTREE FALL TO THE ARROWS
 * BRAND NEW HARPY SAVES THE DAY
 * CHUDLEY CANNONS WIN STUNS FANS
 * MINISTRY IMPOSES RESTRICTIONS
 * NEW POTION GIVES HOPE FOR HAGS
 * ESCAPE FROM AZKABAN
 * PUDDLEMERE CHASER VANISHES AMID CHAOS AT HOLYHEAD MATCH
 * CANNONS BLAST THE FALCONS
 * THE BOY WHO LIES
 * DUMBLEDORE: DAFT OR DANGEROUS?
 * TRESPASS AT MINISTRY
 * MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN
 * HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED RETURNS
 * DEATH EATER ATTACK TARGETS MUGGLES
 * HARRY POTTER: THE CHOSEN ONE?
 * DARK MARK SPARKS PANIC
 * NEW HEADMASTER FOR HOGWARTS: SEVERUS SNAPE CONFIRMED
 * MUGGLE FAMILY MURDERED
 * RUFUS SCRIMGEOUR HOLDS EMERGENCY MEETING WITH MUGGLE PRIME MINISTER
 * DEATH EATER TERROR CONTINUES
 * DARK FORCES GROW IN NUMBER
 * GOBLIN NEGOTIATION TALKS BREAK DOWN
 * HOUSE PRICES CRASH IN HOGSMEADE
 * FLOO POWDER MISHAPS: THE FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW
 * WHERE DO WE GET OUR WANDS NOW?
 * TERROR AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP

Behind the scenes

 * The film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix establishes that, aside from owls, copies of the Daily Prophet are also available via newspaper vendors in the Ministry of Magic.
 * Several montages in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix appear to show several example of the Prophet's motion photography with audio. It is unclear whether this is done simply for dramatic effect, or if in fact some stories in the Daily Prophet include audio clips.
 * In the film version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Hermione Granger used a Daily Prophet to hit Harry Potter over the head when he commented that he was The Chosen One and that gave Romilda Vane the right to be interested in him.
 * In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, when Harry was in the train-station café, the pictures are shown to be still and not moving like the Muggle photos. There might be a special incantation (that is not affected by the trace) that triggers the movement of the pictures.
 * In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Hagrid told Harry to pay five Knuts, instead of one Knut, for the Daily Prophet when an owl brought it.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
 * Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4

Notes and references
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