March 21, 2006
BLOGGER SPOTLIGHT: Roggios Gallery
Today the Blogometer talks to milblogger Bill Roggio, who writes The Fourth Rail and previously contributed to Winds of Change and ThreatsWatch. He was also the subject of a 12/26 Washington Post article about his blogging from Iraq.
What is your full name?
William Frank Roggio
What is your age?
36
Where did you grow up?
Blackwood, New Jersey
Where do you live now?
Medford, New Jersey
What is your occupation? Have you ever worked on a political campaign or for the mainstream media?
Mainframe Software Analyst.
I have not worked for a political campaign. I have had articles published, but I don't think this counts as working for the mainstream media.
When did you start blogging and why?
I started blogging in March of 2004. The coverage of the war was (and still is) sub-par in my opinion, and lacked context, particularly in the area of military operations and the fight against al-Qaeda. I decided to write to help sort out my own thoughts, and for friends and family to see what I have to say. Since I am prior military, they tend to ask me questions.
What has been your favorite post, or favorite story to write about, in that time?
My favorite post (or series of posts) was the "The Anbar Campaign," which described the joint Iraqi and Coalition effort to disrupt and uproot al-Qaeda and the insurgency in western Iraq, and establish a permanent presence in each of the major towns and cities along the Euphrates River. The was a story the media was missing. By closely tracking the operations over time, I was able to predict the order and timing of future operations in the region. I also created a Flash presentation to give a visual on the operation. The reporting and analysis gained the attention of the Marines fighting in Anbar. I subsequently was invited to embed with the Marines by Colonel Stephen Davis, the commanding officer of Regimental Combat Team 2, and took him up on the offer. I embedded in Anbar province for one month, witnessed the historic December 15, 2005 election and was able to see the progress made in the region I covered from afar. The embed reports from Iraq are also some of my favorite posts.
Describe your typical blogging schedule. And what is your average output?
Writing is the easy part which typically only takes a few hours a day. It is the reading, research and gathering of links which occupies the most time. I am constantly monitoring the news for information, as well as reading military blogs and military press releases. As I work a full time job, this often mean late nights reading and writing.
I typically post once or twice a day, depending on the day's developments, and the posts are typically 600-800 words in length, with hyperlinks footnoting all of the articles or posts I have read that pertain to the post.
Who is your favorite political blogger? Favorite non-political blogger?
I'm not sure this is a blog, but I'd say James Taranto at The Wall Street Journal's "Best of the Web" is my favorite political blog. Non-political: The Counterterrorism Blog
Who is your favorite mainstream media columnist?
Who is your favorite mainstream media columnist? I have several: Charles Krauthammer, Jack Kelly, Christopher Hitchens, Victor Davis Hanson, Mark Steyn, for starters.
What is your favorite television news program, either network or cable?
I never watch the network or cable news. I have found they are often days behind what is available on the web.
What MSM-produced websites (i.e. newspapers, magazines) do you visit on a daily basis?
What MSM-produced websites (i.e. newspapers, magazines) do you visit on a daily basis? Wall Street Journal , Weekly Standard,National Review Online , New York Times, Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, Associated Press, Reuters, Daily Times (Pakistan), Asharq Alawsat... and a bunch more. The RSS news reader is a great tool...
What non-MSM websites (i.e. blogs) do you visit on a daily basis?
What non-MSM websites (i.e. blogs) do you visit on a daily basis? The Counterterrorism Blog , Instapundit, Belmont Club, The Adventures of Chester, Rantburg, Regnum Crucis, Security Watchtower, Best of the Web, Blackfive, Mudville Gazette, Real Clear Politics, Irish Pennants, Terrorism Unveiled, Thomas Joscelyn, Soldier's Dad.
How often, or do you ever, read a newspaper in its dead-tree (i.e. print) form?
Only if I forget my laptop when going to an office visit and have to pick up a Time or Newsweek (cellular wireless Internet is another wonderful creation). Most of the papers publish their stories online, and I would rather read articles on the computer. No ink, no folding papers, and no place for the cats to sit while reading. Plus, since I save the links I will use in future posts, it would be additional work to actually look up that article I read.
How do you see the new media and old media affecting and influencing each other in the next five years?
There is certainly a lot of hostility between the two parties. I feel that both parties have much to offer each other, and there will be some form of intersection between the two groups. The good blogs are focused and provided a unique perspective, expert analysis and unique content often missing from the media sites. The old media has a vast amount of resources bloggers can only dream of having. The more creative news and media organizations are starting their own blogs and some are even inviting outside bloggers to join. I believe there will be further a co-opting of blogs and integration of blogs into the media websites. But many blogs will continue to scorn the media, and vise versa. I do not believe the blogs will overtake the media, or the media will collapse, or the blogs will fade away.
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