The first report on the shooting by Merriman Smith/UPI was sent out by UPI at 12:34. Smith, riding in the fourth car behind the presidential limo, said after hearing the shots that he grabbed the radio telephone from Jack Bell, the AP reporter riding with him, and contacted the UPI offices. He gave his report to the UPI Division Editor, Jack Fallon, and asked him to read it back to him. Fallon said that due to the static on the phone he asked Smith to repeat it three times.
Next, UPI bureau Staff Editor Don Smith typed out the first bulletin while Fallon talked, or tried to, with Smith. The bulletin was then handed to teletype operator Jim Tolbert, who keyed the words onto perforated paper tape that fed the teletype machines where it then went out to the various news organizations around the country.
So how much time is that between Smith hearing the last shot, calling it in, connecting with his editor, giving his report, having it checked, and then going out over the teletype? Four minutes? Three? Two? If the Hertz clock
was off it wasn't by much. Unless one wants to argue the UPI clock was also well off.
Story details:
https://www.upi.com/Archives/2003/11/14/UPIs-Pulitzer-winning-coverage-of-JFK/4008667018804/