Harry Potter newspapers and magazines
Several media publications are featured in the Harry Potter novels (and film adaptations). The most prominently featured newspapers and magazines are profiled below. They are all fictional publications.
The Daily Prophet
The Daily Prophet is the most widely-read newspaper in Britain's wizard community. Unfortunately, its journalistic integrity is somewhat lacking; it has been known to be more concerned about sales than about factual accuracy (the name may very well be a pun on "profit"), and is often a mouthpeice for the Ministry of Magic.
The Warner Bros. Harry Potter website's news and events page has been named after the paper.
The Prophet remains respectable (and obscure) for the first three books, but by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, it has hired Rita Skeeter, an unscrupulous journalist who supplies several thrilling and blatantly false articles. These include an article that, while correctly asserting that Rubeus Hagrid is part giant, also makes numerous scurrilous accusations about his personal character, and declares Harry Potter "disturbed and dangerous" on the basis of remarks by Draco Malfoy.
When the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge takes the stance of firmly denying Lord Voldemort's return, the Prophet initiates a smear campaign against Albus Dumbledore and Harry, the most influential proponents of the opposing view.
After Fudge is forced to admit that Lord Voldemort has returned, the Prophet changes its stance overnight, calling Harry "a lone voice of truth." The newspaper even buys Harry's interview on Voldemort's return from the Quibbler.
The editor of the Daily Prophet is Barnabus Cuffe, a former pupil of the Potions master Horace Slughorn. It is unclear how long he has been editor of the Daily Prophet.
The Quibbler
The Quibbler is a magazine first mentioned in Order of the Phoenix.
The magazine's editor Lovegood is the father of Hogwarts student Luna Lovegood. The Quibbler is comparable to real-life absurd tabloids such as the Weekly World News, although the topics covered may be more like the Fortean Times. Quibbler mainstays are conspiracy theories and cryptozoology. Articles in The Quibbler have claimed that Fudge has goblins cooked in pies, and uses the Department of Mysteries to develop terrible poisons, which he supposedly feeds to people who disagree with him, and that he has a secret army of fire-demons called "heliopaths". Numerous probably imaginary beasts are mentioned in the Quibbler, such as Crumple-horned Snorkacks (which supposedly live in Sweden and cannot fly), the Bibbering Humdinger, and Nargles (which are supposed to infest mistletoe).
In Order of the Phoenix, Hermione Granger blackmails Rita Skeeter into writing an article about Harry Potter's encounter with Lord Voldemort. The interview is published by Lovegood, and he later sells it to the Daily Prophet for a very good price (enough to finance an expedition to Sweden to hunt for the Crumple-horned Snorkack).
Which Broomstick
Which Broomstick is a magazine about flying broomsticks. The name suggests a parody of What Car? magazine.
Harry frequently browses through the magazine when searching for a replacement broomstick in his third year, and it is implied that Sirius Black uses it to buy Harry's Christmas present, a Firebolt. Ron mentions the magazine when showing off his new Cleansweep, as does Lee Jordan in Prisoner of Azkaban.
Witch Weekly
Witch Weekly is a magazine for witches, in the style of the Woman's Weekly. Witch Weekly has been mentioned as publishing interviews by Rita Skeeter.
Witch Weekly is first mentioned in the second book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, as Gilderoy Lockhart had won its "Most Charming Smile" award five times in a row.
