Phil Hall (journalist)

Phil Hall (born 8 January 1955^[1]) is a British PR consultant and former newspaper editor.

Hall entered journalism in 1974, as a reporter on the Dagenham Post. He then moved to the Ilford Recorder and subsequently filled a sub-editor post on the Newham Recorder, but returned to reporting at the Sunday People. In 1992, he was appointed News Editor of the Sunday Express and the following year, he joined the News of the World as Assistant Editor, becoming Deputy Editor and, in 1995, Editor.^[2]

Hall remained in the job until May 2000. Hall's leaving of his position has been the subject of rumour.^[3] News reports of the time state that Hall quit, although media correspondent for the BBC Torin Douglas noted that "Most editors of the paper haven't left of their own volition" adding that he believed that "Phil Hall is no exception."^[2] Roy Greenslade of The Guardian later alleged that Hall was sacked by Rupert Murdoch for running a story about Jeffrey Archer that Murdoch did not wish to appear.^[4] Hall also served on the Press Complaints Commission. He joined Hello! magazine as editor and later was appointed Editorial Director of Development at Trinity Mirror, before moving into PR consultancy.^[5]

He set up PHA Media in 2005,^[3] specialising in areas of PR including crisis and campaign management, personal profile building and media relations. Clients include entrepreneur Simon Dolan, Victor Chandler, the Energy Saving Trust, and Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

References