The Press: It’s a What?

The United Press was first, and almost right, with this week’s first big news story. At 5:12 p.m. (E.S.T.) last Sunday U.P. flashed a bulletin from London that “a girl baby was born to Princess Elizabeth tonight.” Within two minutes International News Service and the Associated Press flashed: “It’s a boy.” The U.P. reconsidered. In a 5:15 bulletin it said: “Uphold [meaning hold up] bulletin on Elizabeth’s daughter.” Then a 5:16 bulletin got it right. The U.P.’s explanation to editors: its London bureau had flashed the news simultaneously by wireless and cable. In the wireless version, which got to the New York desk first, a bemused General Post Office telegrapher somehow wrote “girl” instead of “boy.”