Robert K. Merton's theory of the self-fulfilling prophecy is adapted to the structures of modern media societies, taking into significant account current insights from communication science. In particular, the question of how phenomena of the self-fulfilling prophecy can be understood as a consequence of media effects is of interest. It is demonstrated that the various selection and presentation effects of mass media align almost perfectly with the operational mechanism of the self-fulfilling prophecy. Using the case study of the Hamburger Mody Bank, intervention possibilities for the actors affected by media reporting are discussed.