Hold the front page
Meaning
This exclamation is used to signal that a news story is so important or surprising that it demands immediate, prominent publication, often interrupting the usual printing schedule.
Origin
In the golden age of print journalism, before the digital instant, newspapers operated on strict deadlines. Newsrooms hummed with the clatter of typewriters and the smell of ink, all converging on the moment the presses would start rolling. "Hold the front page!" was the electrifying command issued by a managing editor when a truly earth-shattering development broke just before—or even during—a print run. It meant stopping the presses, reformatting the entire front page, and delaying distribution, all to ensure the public received the most critical news first, cementing the phrase as a dramatic symbol of journalistic urgency.
Examples
- When the CEO announced her resignation, the editor immediately called out, "Hold the front page! We need to make this our lead story."
- My daughter just got into Harvard, so for our family, that's definitely a 'hold the front page' kind of moment.