A monument dedicated in 1953 marks the approximate spot of the telegraph office from which the first news report of the Battle of the Little Bighorn was transmitted, in 1876. The monument sits along the east side fence of what was once the Bismarck train depot. Photo by Cecile Wehrman
By Cecile Wehrman, Executive Director, North Dakota Newspaper Association This week marks the 150th anniversary of a feat of epic news reporting using a relatively new technology – the telegraph.
It’s a time to both reflect on the ways that reporting set new precedents and how responsible use of today’s technology can aide modern news gathering.
When word of Gen. George Armstrong Custer’s death and …