Rolando Pujol

Rolando Pujol is a journalist, author, and chronicler of American roadside culture, with "The Retrologist" as a key project. Drawing on more than three decades of experience across New York City newsrooms, he is an Emmy-winning journalist and producer. He currently serves as the Executive Producer of Digital Content, Innovation, and Strategy at WABC-TV Channel 7 in New York, where he oversees digital-first video production, including Emmy-winning documentaries for ABC and Hulu. His leadership also extends to broader digital storytelling initiatives. Over his career, he has earned multiple accolades, including several Emmys, an Edward R. Murrow Award, the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi, and the Deadline Club. With a keen interest in storytelling and American roadside culture, Pujol created "The Retrologist," a long-term project documenting the nation's vanishing roadside landscape. Through "The Retrologist," he shares photographs and stories of vintage diners, motels, neon signs, and kitsch via a popular Instagram account and a Substack newsletter, reaching over 100,000 followers. His work pays tribute to the iconic architecture and unique businesses of mid-century Americana, with a focus on mom-and-pop diners and early fast-food establishments. In 2025, he released "The Great American Retro Road Trip: A Celebration of Roadside Americana," a book that expands on this expertise, featuring a travelogue and photo album of the country's vintage roadside. Pujol's approach centers on preserving the stories of these places, offering readers and followers a sense of "time travel" through his detailed accounts.