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.
Watch on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcasts!
Episodes
25 episodes
Kaley O’Kelley on Career Whiplash, Resilience and Finding Purpose in Local News
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 persona...
Paul Thompson on Truth, Tough Questions and Running the Phoenix Business Journal
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...
Cynthia Sassi on Going All In and Betting Everything on Fabulous Arizona
In this episode of Off Deadline, host Melissa DiGianfilippo sits down with Cynthia Sassi, founder and publis...
Michelle Glicksman on Editorial Judgment, Magazine Deadlines and What Makes a Story Worth Publishing
In this episode of Off Deadline, host Melissa DiGianfilippo sits down with Michelle Glicksman, a 26-year media veteran and e...
Catherine Anaya on the Career She Built and the Life She Refused to Miss
Catherine Anaya is a three-time Emmy Award winning journalist, longtime Phoenix news anchor, and the host of Horizonte on Arizona PBS. With more than 35 years in broadcast journalism, she has interviewed world leaders, built deep trust...
Karen Dalessandro on Reinvention, Radio Gypsy Life and Becoming a Hall of Fame Broadcaster
In this episode of Off Deadline, host Melissa DiGianfilippo sits down with Karen Dalessandro, a multi-award-winning broadcast...
Javier Soto on the Road From Troublemaker to Trusted Voice in Local News
In this episode of Off Deadline, host Melissa DiGianfilippo (@melissadflip) sits down with @javiersototv<...
Lexy Romano on Phoenix Finds, Fearless Hosting and Building a Local Media Brand
In this episode of Off Deadline, host Melissa DiGianfilippo sits down with @lexyromano, Emmy nominated host, performer and founder of Phoenix Finds Media, the platform spotlighting the stories of local businesses a...
Catherine Reagor on Truth, Fairness & Three Decades Covering Arizona Real Estate
In this episode of Off Deadline, host Melissa DiGianfilippo (@melissadflip) sits down with Catherine Reagor (@cathreagor), senior real estate reporter at The Arizona Republic, who has covered Arizona’s housi...
Nadine Bubeck on Storytelling, Motherhood & Building a Legacy in Lifestyle Media
In this episode of Off Deadline, host @melissadflip sits down with @nadinebubeck, publisher of Paradise ...
Melissa Anaya on Building EatDrinkAZ, Going Viral & Helping Arizona Restaurants Thrive
Melissa Anaya (@eatdrinkaz) has spent the last decade transforming EatDrinkAZ into one of Arizona’s most trusted food and lifestyle platforms. What began as a passion project turn...
How Mike Broomhead Turned Tragedy into a Talk Radio Career
Before he became one of Arizona’s most recognizable voices, Mike Broomhead was a working electrician chasing his brother’s rodeo dreams. When tragedy struck, everything changed. ...
Kristina Guerrero on E! News, Representation & Resilience
Kristina Guerrero (@kristinaguerrero), former E! News correspondent and host of The List, has spent over 20 years in entertainment journalism. From red carpets in Hollywo...
Corina Vanek on Scoops, Scrutiny & How Journalism Shapes Arizona’s Future
Corina Vanek, development reporter with The Arizona Republic, has spent a decade covering development, business, and the stories shaping Arizona’s growth. From breaking one of the state’s biggest scoops to facing scrutiny over c...
Rachel Cole on Vulnerability in Journalism, Family Support & A Career-Defining Story
Rachel Cole (@rachelcoletv1011), anchor and reporter with NBC 12 News, has spent over a decade covering Arizona’s biggest stories. From moments of raw vulnerability on assignment ...
Mignon Gould on Reinvention, Business Journalism & the Power of Telling Small Stories Well
Mignon Gould is the Associate Editor of the Phoenix Business Journal and a longtime advocate for inclusive storytelling in business media. With a career that spans fashion journalism, entrepreneurship, and now business reporting, she o...
Ian Schwartz on the Aloha Spirit, Nearly Quitting News & The Most Bizarre Interview of His Career
Meteorologist and reporter Ian Schwartz of Arizona’s Family has spent nearly 20 years covering everything from blizzards and wildfires to quirky weather debates that blow up every Arizona summ...
Johnjay Van Es on Oprah, Rod Stewart & the 25-Year Radio Ride That Almost Didn’t Happen
Johnjay Van Es co-host of the nationally syndicated Johnjay & Rich Show, joins Off Deadline for a hilarious, heartfelt, and completely unfiltered ride through his 25+ years in radio.He opens up about:
Sam Eifling on Viral Journalism, Rodeo Cowboys & the Lost Art of Making Readers Feel
What do undercover cops, a legal loophole, and one viral headline have in common? They all collided in a story that actually changed the law—and Sam Eifling was the reporter who broke it.In this episode...
Yetta Gibson on Surviving Trauma, Winning an Emmy, and the Power of Human Connection
How do you interview a grieving parent—or spend a week reporting on child drownings—without breaking down? Emmy-winning journalist Yetta Gibson of Arizona's Family opens up about the emotional toll of storytelling, the interview that changed he...
Greg Barr on Rock Star Fights, Legal Shockers & Stories That Still Haunt Him
Ever been punched by a rock star? Journalist Greg Barr has—backstage, no less. In this episode of Off Deadline, the Phoenix Business Journal Editor-in-Chief shares two of the wildest stories of his career:🎸 The time a chart-topping arti...
Brad Perry on Saving a Life with Laughter, Social Media Pressures & 35 Years of Morning TV
He made her laugh—and she decided to live.Brad Perry has spent 35 years on morning television, bringing joy to viewers across the country. But behind the upbeat persona is a man who’s weathered real storms—from covering hostage si...
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 n...
Jaime Cerreta on Headlines, Heart & Holding Space for Arizona’s Stories
Inside the life of the Arizona's Family 3TV reporter —and what really happens behind the scenes.Jaime Cerreta is more than a familiar face on Arizona’s morning news—she’s a storyteller with deep roots in the Valley and a heart that brea...