[NUJ.LFB] NUJ Rate for the Job:
Shifts / news

Archived: 03 May 2008

These rates have been reported by members of the National Union of Journalists and others, and printed in the Freelance, newsletter of London Freelance Branch. They are sorted by publisher/publication, then by date (most recent first). TIP: Use the "Find in page" command under your browser's "Edit" menu to be sure of finding all occurrences of a publication/publisher. AND do note the year in which the rate was reported! See also the Freelance Fees Guide, which gives general recommendations. And read the disclaimer and the key to exactly what the entries mean.

^ Shifts / news

Writing and editing work for newspapers, paid by the day or the hour. Mostly sub-editing: checking and proofreading copy and making it fit the house style and design. (Actual publication/programme names appear before publishers and generic rates. The 'extras' column is irrelevant for subbing shifts.)
These are archived rates - see current rates.

* Tell us what you've been paid for Shifts / news * Freelance Fees Guide
Publication/Programme - details & terms        Group Year ¤ Basic fee Extras
Daily Express subbing day _UM 1997 GBP 100 - X
Daily Mail sports desk shift _Assoc 2002 GBP 100 X
Daily Mail subbing day _Assoc 2002 GBP 100 XX
Daily Mail reporting day _Assoc 1996 GBP 250 -
Daily Mail subbing day _Assoc 1995 GBP 93 -
Daily Mail subbing day _Assoc 1993 GBP 95 -
Daily Mail subbing day _Assoc 1993 GBP 93 -
Daily Mail subbing 6h _Assoc 1992 GBP 96 -
Daily Mail subbing 8h shift _Assoc 1992 GBP 120 -
Daily Mirror subbing day _TMG 2002 GBP 80 XXX
Daily Telegraph subbing day _Holl 2002 GBP 125
Daily Telegraph City pages _Holl 1997 GBP 85 - X
Evening Standard Features subbing 8 hrs _Assoc 2002 GBP 130
Evening Standard news reporting _Assoc 1995 GBP 85 - X
Evening Standard subbing day _Assoc 1995 GBP 90 -
Evening Standard subbing day (trying it on) _Assoc 1995 GBP 80 - XX
Evening Standard subbing 7am-4pm _Assoc 1994 GBP 110 -
Evening Standard Hot Tickets subbing day _Assoc 1998 GBP 110 -
Financial Times subbing day _Pearson 1995 GBP 100 -
Guardian day rate minimum _GMG 2001 GBP 138.85 HA
Guardian per day interviewing film stars _GMG 2000 GBP 100 - X
Guardian editorial _GMG 1999 GBP 125 -
Guardian 4.5 hours per week, per year _GMG 1999 GBP 4475 -
Guardian reporting day _GMG 1998 GBP 150 -
Guardian _GMG 1998 GBP 117 -
Guardian (reporting?) _GMG 1997 GBP 300 -
Guardian subbing day _GMG 1995 GBP 139 -
Guardian Education Supplement, subbing day _GMG 1994 GBP 112 -
Guardian subbing day _GMG 1994 GBP 110 -
Guardian subbing day _GMG 1994 GBP 118 -
Guardian subbing day _GMG 1993 GBP 120 -
Guardian subbing day (from April 1) _GMG 1993 GBP 106.43 -
Independent on Sunday Reporting shift on Millennium News Years Eve evening - having been promised 'we'll take care of you' _INM 2000 GBP 120 XXXX
Independent on Sunday research day _INM 1994 GBP 125 -
Independent on Sunday subbing the Review mag _INM 1994 GBP 150 -
Independent subbing day _INM 2006 GBP 110 XX
Independent 6.5 hours sports subbing _INM 2002 GBP 100 X
Independent 8 hours' news subbing incl hour for lunch _INM 2002 GBP 110 X
Independent sports desk shift _INM 2002 GBP 100 O
Independent subbing home and foreign news, 8hrs _INM 2002 GBP 110 X
Independent subbing 6.5 hours _INM 2002 GBP 105 X
Independent reporting day _INM 1999 GBP 100 - X
Independent Subbing day _INM 1998 GBP 93.24 - X
Independent subbing day _INM 1996 GBP 125 -
Independent news day _INM 1995 GBP 94.25 -
Independent subbing day _INM 1994 GBP 93.62 -
Independent magazines layout per page?! _INM 1998 GBP 35 - ?
Mail on Sunday _Assoc 2000 GBP 120 -
Mail on Sunday _Assoc 1999 GBP 120 -
Mail on Sunday subbing day _Assoc 1999 GBP 120 - X
Mail on Sunday 8 hours _Assoc 1998 GBP 118 -
Mail on Sunday subbing day _Assoc 1996 GBP 140 -
Mail on Sunday subbing 6h _Assoc 1992 GBP 135 -
News Letter (Belfast) subbing day 1992 GBP 45 -
News of the World reporting Saturday Manchester _NI 1998 GBP 110 -
News of the World reporting Saturday double shift _NI 1998 GBP 278 -
News of the World reporting Saturday (taxed at source, emergency rate) _NI 1998 GBP 139 -
News of the World 5-days unwritten 'contract' _NI 1998 GBP 500 -
News of the World reporting week day _NI 1998 GBP 123 -
News of the World subbing 6am-7pm _NI 1997 GBP 225 - X
News of the World subbing 8hr shift _NI 1994 GBP 130 -
Observer sport subbing 'trainee' 5.5hrs _GMG 1999 GBP 65 -
Observer subbing news (6h) _GMG 1995 GBP 120 -
Sun news, 8hr shift _NI 1994 GBP 93.50 -
Sun features, 6hr shift _NI 1994 GBP 95 -
Sunday Mirror (Sat) reporting _TMG 1992 GBP 100 -
Sunday Telegraph subbing _Holl 1997 GBP 100 - X
Sunday Telegraph subbing/news _Holl 1996 GBP 120 -
Sunday Times news day _NI 2000 GBP 120 -
Sunday Times (Saturday shift) 8h (taxed at source) _NI 1992 GBP 138.24 -
Times subbing day _NI 1993 GBP 85 -
Times (taxed at source) _NI 1992 GBP 104.50 -
Times Weekend Subbing day _NI 1998 GBP 120 -
Today features, 5hr shift 1994 GBP 80 -
Agence France-Presse subbing day 1999 GBP 80 - X
INS News Agency reporting day 1998 GBP 50 - XX
National News agency reporting day 1992 GBP 40 - XXX
National News agency double shift! 1992 GBP 80 - XXX
News Ltd (Australia) subbing day _NI 1996 GBP 100 - X
Press Association subbing day _PA 1995 GBP 89.60 -
Times Supplement subbing day _NI 1993 GBP 103.10 -
UPI wires subbing day 1993 GBP 65 - XX

The above are the rates for Shifts / news ARCHIVED on 03 May 2008.

 
Key to the rates, by column:
1 Publication/Programme, any details of work and licence
2 Owner at the time the rate was reported, where knownGroup
3 The year in which the rate was reportedYear
4 Currency: either GBP or EUR¤
5 Amount paid for basic licence - e.g. first use in print: Basic fee
6 Paid for extra licences - web use, database resale... (no data pre Jun 2000) ...Extras
7 "Going Rate" according to experienced NUJ members - do try to better it: ......GR
or Minimum rate set out in NUJ House Agreement (more will be made soon): ......HA
8 Underpaid, in the fallible opinion of the Freelance editor:GBP500X
or Just sometimes we're pleasantly surprised:EUR1500300O