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 of Off Deadline, the Phoenix New Times Editor-in-Chief shares how a tip about Hawaii police officers legally having sex with sex workers turned into a national news frenzy. From a viral Associated Press headline to live NPR coverage and even a Colbert sketch, Sam's reporting led to a real policy change—within days.
With 20+ years of journalism experience (The New York Times, ESPN, Harper’s, Netflix's Patriot Act), Sam also opens up about the stories that never ran, the reporting tricks that actually work, and why writers today struggle to make readers feel something.
🎙 In this episode:
– The viral headline that sparked a law change in Hawaii
– A rodeo van trip that became an epic, $20K magazine story
– Why writing well still wins—even in a TikTok world
– What he wishes more journalists (and PR pros) understood
🔗 Subscribe to Off Deadline on YouTube and your favorite podcast app for more behind-the-scenes stories from journalism’s boldest voices.
Follow Sam Eifling on IG: @sameifling
Follow Proof Publicity on IG: @proofpublicity
Contact Proof Publicity
📺 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@proof-publicity
🔗 Check out Proof Publicity → https://proofpublicity.com
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