Off Deadline

Melissa DiGianfilippo, Proof Publicity

Off Deadline goes beyond the headlines to reveal what really happens when the cameras stop rolling and the deadlines pass. Host Melissa DiGianfilippo, Founder and CEO of Proof Publicity, creates a rare safe space where top journalists drop their professional guard to share the moments that changed everything—the ethical crossroads that kept them awake, the sources that most surprised them, the stories that broke them, and the victories no one will ever write about. From the hilarious disasters to the heart-stopping close calls, veteran journalists share the wild, unforgettable moments that never made it into their reporting. These are the behind-the-scenes confessions, the career-defining chaos, and the human moments that remind us why journalism is equal parts calling and complete madness. This isn't about breaking news—it's about the people who lived through the craziest moments while chasing the story, and the experiences they'll never forget. If you've ever wondered what it really takes to be a storyteller in our chaotic world, Off Deadline delivers the raw, unfiltered truth behind journalism's most compelling voices. Watch on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcasts!

  1. 4d ago ·  Video

    Paul Maryniak on 50 Years in Newsrooms, the Jail Interview He Regrets & Being Mistaken for a Gunman

    Send us Fan Mail The guard walked out and closed the door. Paul Maryniak was left sitting across a table from a 28-year-old on trial for his fifth homicide, no handcuffs, close enough to touch. He listened the whole time thinking one thing: I have to get out of here. Fifty years later, it is still the interview he wishes he had done differently.  Paul started in journalism in the 1970s and joined the Pittsburgh Press in 1975 as an investigative reporter. He went on to the Philadelphia Daily News, came west in 1999 for the East Valley Tribune, led East Valley coverage as metro editor at The Arizona Republic, and today is executive editor of Times Media Group, overseeing seven weekly newspapers plus three publications he launched himself. He is 77 and plans to work another ten years.  On this episode of Off Deadline, Melissa DiGianfilippo, founder of Proof Publicity, sits down with Paul to get into:  The jail interview with a five-time killer, and the question he never asked How a 13-year-old's murder taught him to knock on a grieving family's doorThe line he used with next of kin that worked every timeLaunching 13 community publications at The Arizona Republic before the Great RecessionThe career gamble everyone warned him about, and hanging up on one of the world's richest menWhy he loves crime stories, police procedurals, and watching a case get crackedThe Receipt: the newspaper commercial he starred in, where the final cut showed only his fingers on the keysReaching into his coat pocket at Philadelphia City Hall and being mistaken for a gunmanWhy he would have been a criminal prosecutor if he had not been a reporter Fifty years in, Paul still runs on the same thing that got him in: no two days are the same.  Follow Times Media Group: @timesmediagroup Follow the host, Melissa DiGianfilippo: @melissadflip  Learn more about Proof Publicity Produced by Turnkey Media  #OffDeadline #PaulMaryniak #TimesMediaGroup #ArizonaJournalists #ProofPublicity  📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity 🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity 🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com

    Paul Maryniak on 50 Years in Newsrooms, the Jail Interview He Regrets & Being Mistaken for a Gunman

  2. Aug 4 ·  Video

    Stephanie Innes on Covering the Giffords Shooting, Health Reporting & 33 Years in Journalism

    Send us Fan Mail She was out running errands when her phone would not stop ringing. Stephanie Innes pulled her car to the side of the road in Tucson and learned that Gabby Giffords, someone she had written about and used to see around town, had been shot. Then the national media landed, and she found out what it means to be the local reporter who is still there after everyone else flies to the next disaster. Stephanie Innes has been a journalist for 33 years. She grew up in Toronto, got her graduate degree in journalism at Northwestern, and drove herself to Flagstaff for a city government job at a paper she had never seen in a state she had never visited. She went on to the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson and has covered health care for The Arizona Republic since 2018, focusing on patient safety, hospital quality and health policy, including leading the paper's COVID-19 coverage. On this episode of Off Deadline, Melissa DiGianfilippo, founder of Proof Publicity, talks with Stephanie about: Reporting the Giffords shooting, and being pushed aside at her own storyLosing a shoe in the snow to reach a plane crash, and the moment that made her a more aggressive reporterThe story she got right that still does not sit well with herWhy she wants her health stories free for the people who need them mostWhat growing up in the Canadian health system taught her about covering American health careThe wildest rumor she ever heard about herself, involving a bishop, jogging and vegetarian mealsHer receipt: a painting of the Tucson desert from a woman she followed for six monthsThe advice she would give her younger self, the honest versionAfter 33 years, she says her real superpower is simply that she is still here. Follow Stephanie Innes: @StephReporter on Instagram Follow the host, Melissa DiGianfilippo: @melissadflip Learn more about Proof Publicity: https://proofpublicity.com Produced by Turnkey Media: https://www.turnkeymediaaz.com #OffDeadline #StephanieInnes #ArizonaRepublic #HealthJournalism #ArizonaPodcast Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity 🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com

    Stephanie Innes on Covering the Giffords Shooting, Health Reporting & 33 Years in Journalism

  3. Jul 28 ·  Video

    David Vicente on Building Welcome to Arizona to 1.3M Followers, a $100 First Client & Going Viral

    Send us Fan Mail Their parents thought they were drug dealers. Their first paid post was $100, and they celebrated with wings. Ten years later, David Vicente and his brother have turned Welcome to Arizona into one of the state's biggest local storytelling platforms — 1.3 million followers on Instagram, over 500K on TikTok, and a seven-figure business behind it. It didn't happen fast. The first 10,000 followers took two years. What started as an Instagram version of the Yellow Pages — a directory of local businesses two ASU students built because they couldn't afford a website — became the page brands call when they want Arizona's attention.  On this episode of Off Deadline, Melissa DiGianfilippo, founder of Proof Publicity, sits down with David to get into:  The $100 post from a local golf business that made it a real company Why the first 10K followers took two years — and why he's glad it did Editing in a home studio from 8 PM to midnight, every night, for yearsHis parents asking "is it legal?" — and how Kim Kardashian won them overCovering political moments as a platform 1.3 million people trustSplitting lanes with his brother: creative direction vs. operationsHitting seven figures and expanding to Vegas, Mexico City, and UtahThe Receipt: the gold award behind the Rafi Law Group lookalike campaign300 lookalikes and 20+ million views David's story is proof that consistency beats overnight success.Follow David Vicente and Welcome to Arizona: @welcometoarizona on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook.  Follow the host, Melissa DiGianfilippo: @melissadflip Learn more about Proof Publicity: https://proofpublicity.com  Produced by Turnkey Media: https://www.turnkeymediaaz.com  #OffDeadline #WelcomeToArizona #DavidVicente #ArizonaCreators #ProofPublicity 📺  Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity 🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity 🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com

    David Vicente on Building Welcome to Arizona to 1.3M Followers, a $100 First Client & Going Viral

  4. Jul 21 ·  Video

    Chelsey Hauston on Building @LetThemEatThis, Going Viral in a Monsoon & Living With a Rare Disease

    Send us Fan Mail Chelsey Hauston built one of Arizona's most trusted food platforms out of a pet pig fan page and a breakup. Seven years later, she's the creator behind Let Them Eat This, with 336,000 followers on Instagram and 300,000 on TikTok. What most people don't see: she's running that empire while managing a rare autoimmune disease her former employer once called "her problem." On this episode of Off Deadline, Melissa DiGianfilippo, founder of Proof Publicity, sits down with Chelsey to get into: How a page for her pet pigs landed on BuzzFeed and started it allThe Marie Antoinette history behind the Let Them Eat This nameLiving and working with autoimmune progesterone dermatitisFilming her first viral hit, birria ramen, in the middle of a monsoonThe turquoise McDonald's drone footage that broke the internetA cheesecake shop owner's message that still gives her goosebumpsGetting called "weird" in a job interview, and why she wears it nowHer upcoming dream trip to FranceChelsey's story is proof that betting on yourself can outwork a boss who won't. Follow Chelsey Hauston and Let Them Eat This: @letthemeatthis on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. Follow the host, Melissa DiGianfilippo: @melissadflip Learn more about Proof Publicity: https://proofpublicity.com Produced by Turnkey Media: https://www.turnkeymediaaz.com #OffDeadline #LetThemEatThis #ChelseyHauston #ArizonaFood #ProofPublicity 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity 🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com

    Chelsey Hauston on Building @LetThemEatThis, Going Viral in a Monsoon & Living With a Rare Disease

  5. Jul 14 ·  Video

    Christina Silvestri on the Voicemail That Split Her Career, Arizona Foothills and Getting Bold Enough to Ask

    Send us Fan Mail She almost didn't answer the call. An unknown number, a voicemail from a Women's Wear Daily reporter, and one bold follow-up question turned into a summer internship in LA. That's the moment Christina Silvestri says split her career into before and after. Christina is the editor in chief of Arizona Foothills Magazine, the state's longest-running luxury lifestyle publication, now marking 30 years. A Phoenix native and ASU Cronkite grad, she left Arizona to work with global brands like Richemont and Sotheby's before coming home to run the same magazine she once interned at. In this episode: The voicemail that changed the direction of her entire careerThe student journalism assignments that still stay with herWhy she sees lifestyle journalism as an economic driver for ArizonaThe object she's kept since her first reporting jobWhat she'd be doing if she weren't running a magazineNew episodes of Off Deadline drop every Tuesday.  Follow Proof Publicity @proofpublicity, Melissa DiGianfilippo @melissadflip,  Christina Silvestri @cksilves and Arizona Foothills Magazine @azfoothills for more. 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity 🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com

    Christina Silvestri on the Voicemail That Split Her Career, Arizona Foothills and Getting Bold Enough to Ask

  6. Jan 27

    Kaley O’Kelley on Career Whiplash, Resilience and Finding Purpose in Local News

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Off Deadline, Melissa DiGianfilippo of Proof Publicity sits down with Kaley O'Kelley of ABC 15 in Phoenix, a broadcast journalist whose career has been shaped by both extraordinary opportunity and deep personal challenge. Kaley shares what it was like to receive a last-minute call sending her to New York to fill in on Good Morning America, and the devastation of later learning that a long-term network opportunity was declined on her behalf without her knowledge. She opens up about navigating divorce while staying professional on air, crying in her car between shifts, and choosing forgiveness in moments that could have hardened her. She also explains why stories of hope, community heroes, and “angels among us” remain central to her work, and how telling those stories helped her find purpose in local news. Discussion highlights Being unexpectedly sent to New York for Good Morning AmericaHow quickly careers can change in broadcast journalismMaintaining professionalism through emotional painDivorce and showing up on air anywayLearning an opportunity was turned down without her consentChoosing forgiveness after betrayalWhy hope matters in local newsHighlighting community heroes and life-changing storiesFinding purpose through storytellingKaley’s episode is an honest look at resilience, grace under pressure, and the human side of journalism. 🎧 Listen now, watch on YouTube, and don’t forget to follow @proofpublicity for more episodes of Off Deadline. 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity 🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com

  7. Jan 20

    Paul Thompson on Truth, Tough Questions and Running the Phoenix Business Journal

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Off Deadline, host Melissa DiGianfilippo sits down with Paul Thompson, Managing Editor of the Phoenix Business Journal, for an honest conversation about journalism, leadership, and responsibility in today’s media landscape. Paul reflects on how covering crime early in his career shaped his approach to reporting, why journalists must chase difficult stories, and how newsroom debates help sharpen truth rather than dilute it. He also discusses separating emotion from reporting, managing pressure under deadline, and what business journalism gets right and wrong in the public eye. Discussion highlights Finding his path into journalismEarly crime reporting and emotional resilienceWhy tough questions still matterSeparating personal opinion from reportingEditorial judgment and newsroom debatesLeading reporters under pressureBusiness journalism and public accountabilityMedia trust, credibility and transparencyTechnology, AI and the future of newsPaul’s episode offers a thoughtful look at the responsibility behind editorial decisions and the leadership required to run a modern newsroom. 🎧 Listen now, watch on YouTube, and don’t forget to follow @proofpublicity for more episodes of Off Deadline. 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity 🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com

  8. Jan 13

    Cynthia Sassi on Going All In and Betting Everything on Fabulous Arizona

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Off Deadline, host Melissa DiGianfilippo sits down with Cynthia Sassi, founder and publisher of Fabulous Arizona, the digital lifestyle publication spotlighting the people, places and brands shaping Arizona. Cynthia shares how she built Fabulous Arizona from the ground up, why she went all in on her business without a safety net, and how losing a job days before rent was due became a defining moment. She opens up about expanding into additional Fabulous markets, managing a growing team, balancing editorial integrity with brand partnerships, and staying focused on ROI for clients while protecting trust with readers. Discussion highlights Studying marketing and consumer behaviorDiscovering digital publishing earlyLaunching Fabulous ArizonaGoing fully self employedLosing a job days before rent was dueWhy pressure fuels growthExpanding into additional Fabulous marketsManaging teams and releasing controlEditorial integrity vs brand partnershipsHandling public criticism and improving on cameraWhat people misunderstand about digital publishingThe importance of relationships in businessCynthia’s episode is an honest look at risk, resilience and building a modern media brand without a safety net. 🎧 Listen now, watch on YouTube, and don’t forget to follow @proofpublicity for more episodes of Off Deadline. 📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity 🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com

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5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Off Deadline goes beyond the headlines to reveal what really happens when the cameras stop rolling and the deadlines pass. Host Melissa DiGianfilippo, Founder and CEO of Proof Publicity, creates a rare safe space where top journalists drop their professional guard to share the moments that changed everything—the ethical crossroads that kept them awake, the sources that most surprised them, the stories that broke them, and the victories no one will ever write about. From the hilarious disasters to the heart-stopping close calls, veteran journalists share the wild, unforgettable moments that never made it into their reporting. These are the behind-the-scenes confessions, the career-defining chaos, and the human moments that remind us why journalism is equal parts calling and complete madness. This isn't about breaking news—it's about the people who lived through the craziest moments while chasing the story, and the experiences they'll never forget. If you've ever wondered what it really takes to be a storyteller in our chaotic world, Off Deadline delivers the raw, unfiltered truth behind journalism's most compelling voices. Watch on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcasts!

Information

  • Creator
    Melissa DiGianfilippo, Proof Publicity
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Off Deadline
  • Show Website
    Off Deadline