Off Deadline
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.
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Off Deadline
Russ Wiles on 45 Years Reporting on Business, Staying Put & Learning Semiconductors on the Fly
Russ Wiles has spent 45 years telling the story of business, investing, and Arizona’s economy—including 34 years at The Arizona Republic. In this episode of Off Deadline, Russ joins Melissa DiGianfilippo to talk about why he never left the business beat, how buying his first McDonald’s stock at age 12 sparked a lifelong interest in finance, and what it was like to learn semiconductors on the fly as TSMC reshaped Arizona’s economic future.
From getting caught in a typhoon in Taiwan to filing stories from airport baggage claims, Russ shares the human side of business reporting, the wildest moments in his career, and why—through it all—the simplest advice is still the best: “Make your deadlines.”
🎧 Topics include:
- How TSMC’s $165 billion investment transformed Arizona
- The evolution of business reporting over four decades
- The pressure and joy of chasing a story on deadline
- What it really takes to cover massive economic change
🎙 Produced by Proof Publicity. Follow Proof on all social channels at @ProofPublicity
Follow Russ Wiles on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/russ-wiles-497b8225/
📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity
🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com