British actor Rupert Grint attends the World premiere of "Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince" at the Odeon and Empire Cinemas at Leicester Square in London on July 7, 2009. (UPI Photo/Rune Hellestad) | License Photo

British actress Emma Watson attends the World premiere of "Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince" at the Odeon and Empire Cinemas at Leicester Square in London on July 7, 2009. (UPI Photo/Rune Hellestad) | License Photo

British actress Emma Watson and actors Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe attend the World premiere of "Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince" at the Odeon and Empire Cinemas at Leicester Square in London on July 7, 2009. (UPI Photo/Rune Hellestad) | License Photo

July 31 marks the birthday of literary phenomenon Harry Potter. If he were a real person, he would be 29. Author J.K. Rowling set Harry's date of birth as July 31, 1980 -- her own birthday is July 31, 1965. She made Harry's 11th birthday as the day he learns he is a wizard and is headed for Hogwarts School of f Witchcraft and Wizardry. (UPI Photo/Laura Cavanaugh) | License Photo

British author JK Rowling attends the World premiere of "Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince" at the Odeon and Empire Cinemas at Leicester Square in London on July 7, 2009. (UPI Photo/Rune Hellestad) | License Photo

WACO, Texas, July 30 (UPI) -- The way newspapers are represented in the Harry Potter books could have a negative impact on young people's understanding of journalism, U.S. researchers say.

Study co-author Amanda Sturgill, senior lecturer in journalism at Baylor University, says in a news release an analysis of the first six books in author J.K. Rowling's best-selling series about the boy wizard found overwhelmingly negative representation of journalism. Sturgill said the concern is that young readers will come away with a perception that journalism is corrupt, deceptive and an unattractive career choice.


"Since literature can play an important role in helping children learn and possibly empathize with situations experienced by the characters, the potential for influence on journalism is strong," she said.

Sturgill and study co-authors Jessica Winney of the University of Houston-Clear Lake and Tina Libhart of Baylor, analyzed quotes that mentioned media, including newspapers, magazines, radio and textbooks.

The books feature a newspaper in the wizard world called The Daily Prophet, which frequently publishes misleading or inaccurate information, and employs a reporter -- Rita Skeeter -- who demonstrates what the researchers call "a complete disregard for accuracy, truthfulness and objectivity."

The full study can be found at: http://www.acjournal.org/holdings/vol10/01_Spring/articles/sturgill_etal.php.