The United Press International, or UPI, is a major player in news services around the world. Created as the United Press in 1907 by E.W. Scripps, a newspaper publisher, the organization is founded on the principles that any person or business should be able to purchase news, and that a single organization can cover the world independently of any other. These two practices quickly revolutionized the world of journalism, at the time dominated by a few monopolistic news agencies.
The United Press pioneered many now-standard journalistic practices, including the concept of feature stories and interviews. They were the first news agency to offer picture coverage of news to their subscribers and then the first radio wire service in the world. In 1958 United Press merged with William Randolph Hearst's International News Service to form the new company, United Press International.
United Press International has been responsible for reporting some of the most memorable moments of the past 50 years. Especially notable is their live reporting of the events immediately after President John F. Kennedy's assasination, from the scene to the hospital, and then following Lyndon B. Johnson as he took the oath of office and returned to Washington to address the nation. UPI also boasts many notable reporters among its ranks, most famously news veteran Walter Cronkite.
United Press International continues to be ahead of the times in their use of technology to improve methods of journalism worldwide. Their technical systems are superb and offer a wide range of options to subscribers. For the individual, they have an excellent website updated continously with breaking news from around the globe.
Sources
"News agencies."
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition.
Copyright © 2001 Columbia University Press.
United Press International: About Us.
http://www.upi.com/about/index.cfm. Copyright © 2002 United Press International. Accessed: 11/18/2002.