[NUJ.LFB] NUJ Rate for the Job:
Words, other / news

Updated: 15 May 2012

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.

^ Words, other / news

Work for which we have no rate-per-thousand-words, whose primary use is in a national newspaper. See also regional papers.
* Tell us what you've been paid for Words, other / news * Freelance Fees Guide
Publication/Programme - details & terms        Group Year ¤ Basic fee Extras
Aswat el Ger unspecified piece 2008 GBP 75 XX
Christian Science Monitor research: 3 interviews and 3 vox-pops US$150 2005 GBP 75 XXX
Daily Express Scottish front page lead FBS _NS 2004 GBP 120
Daily Express per diary story, ca. 200 words _NS 2001 GBP 50
Daily Express Viewpoint 900 words _UM 2000 GBP 300
Daily Express Brutus column _UM 1999 GBP 50 -
Daily Mail _BarcB 2011 GBP 166 XX
Daily Mail 400 words, all rights _Assoc 2011 GBP 200
Daily Mail Diary piece, length unspecified _Assoc 2011 GBP 100 XX
Daily Mail Real Life piece, £1000 for 1800 words FBSR _Assoc 2010 GBP 556 O
Daily Mail page lead, sent all round (not exclusive) no terms specified _Assoc 2009 GBP 150 GR XX
Daily Mail feature FBS _Assoc 2007 GBP 1800 GR
Daily Mail showbiz news story _Assoc 2005 GBP 750 O
Daily Mail Scottish exclusive page lead FBS _Assoc 2004 GBP 650 O
Daily Mail exclusive news story _Assoc 2004 GBP 400
Daily Mail news story _Assoc 2004 GBP 400
Daily Mail foreign exclusive with pix _Assoc 2003 GBP 2000
Daily Mail Exclusive about World Cup in Japan (500 words) _Assoc 2003 GBP 500
Daily Mail page lead _Assoc 2003 GBP 650
Daily Mail filler _Assoc 1998 GBP 100 -
Daily Mirror Ticket feature 750 - 1200 words FBS _TMG 2006 GBP 350
Daily Mirror Mirror Money, 400 words FBS and web use _MGN 2004 GBP 250
Daily Mirror six-par stick _TMG 2000 GBP 120 -
Daily Record news page lead FBS _TMG 2004 GBP 70 X
Daily Telegraph international news 300 mid page or anchor and full web useor/ side bar _BarcB 2012 GBP 60 GR XX
Daily Telegraph international news 300 mid page or anchor and full web use _BarcB 2012 GBP 60 GR XXXX
Daily Telegraph 180 word news story _BarcB 2011 GBP 35
Daily Telegraph news story, wordage unspecified _BarcB 2010 GBP 110 X
Daily Telegraph paperback reviews, 110 words, down from £75 _BarcB 2009 GBP 40 XXX
Daily Telegraph 150-word album reviews _BarcB 2008 GBP 75
Daily Telegraph feature FBS _BarcB 2005 GBP 600
Daily Telegraph 'a small column' _Holl 1994 GBP 125 -
Diez Portiento (Argentina) article+photos 1998 GBP 100 -
ES magazine page _Assoc 1998 GBP 450 -
ES magazine per page _Assoc 1998 GBP 450 -
Evening Herald (Ireland) feature per feature; €300 paid if writer takes responsibility of organising (but not taking) pix _INM 2006 EUR 250 GR
Evening Standard live concert review _Lebedev 2010 GBP 140 X
Evening Standard comment/news piece _EPL 2009 GBP 500
Evening Standard lead diary item _Assoc 2005 GBP 80
Evening Standard diary item _Assoc 1999 GBP 40 -
Evening Standard diary item _Assoc 1999 GBP 40 -
Evening Standard diary item _Assoc 1997 GBP 100 -
Evening Standard whole pink page (member: 'too low'!) _Assoc 1994 GBP 200 - X
Financial Times feature FBS _Pearson 2005 GBP 400
Financial Times diary column 'up to' _Pearson 1994 GBP 200 -
Guardian Weekly 1200-word article + image "reduced rate" _GMG 2009 GBP 110 XXX
Guardian page for education section, extra online material _GMG 2012 GBP 500
Guardian unspecified feature _GMG 2012 GBP 285
Guardian Learn Direct online - flat rate (for 5 years) _GMG 2012 GBP 200
Guardian feature for Family supplement (NB agreed minimum is £301.63 incl. 6.5% online uplift) _GMG 2011 GBP 273.24 17.76
Guardian Commissioned blog post - Comment is Free - minimum _GMG 2011 GBP 87 HA
Guardian 1200 words @ £250 (again, below agreed minimum) _GMG 2011 GBP 208
Guardian theatre blog 500 words _GMG 2010 GBP 85 XX
Guardian 150-word music, film reviews , terms as Guardian agreement _GMG 2008 GBP 50
Guardian 300-word gig reviews , terms as Guardian agreement _GMG 2008 GBP 100
Guardian diary piece no terms discussed _GMG 2007 GBP 30 XX
Guardian diary piece no terms discussed _GMG 2007 GBP 50 X
Guardian 850-word Society article @ £230 = 2006 GBP 270
Guardian 350-word reviews + exes _GMG 2003 GBP 100
Guardian 350-word reviews involving travelling more than 80 miles (130 km) round trip+ exes _GMG 2003 GBP 150
Guardian Media section article _GMG 2001 GBP 300
Guardian short weekly column _GMG 1998 GBP 100 - X
Guardian weekly short column _GMG 1998 GBP 100 - XX
Herald 200-word review _NQ 2007 GBP 50 XXX
Herald (Glasgow) review _NQ 2003 GBP 45 XXX
Herald (Glasgow) London theatre review _SMG 1994 GBP 40 - X
Il Messagero any article 2006 GBP 100 X
Independent on Sunday half-page lead business story, 500 words, used as second lead for the whole week _INM 2009 GBP 100 XXXX
Independent on Sunday exclusive story, 300 printed words down from 800 commissioned _INM 2006 GBP 200
Independent on Sunday three case studies _INM 2005 GBP 280
Independent on Sunday page lead (750) _INM 1998 GBP 80 - XXXX
Independent 600-word news report from a european capital _INM 2008 GBP 85 0 GR XXX
Independent gig review (400 words) certain exes paid, such as ticket costs, no extra payment for web use _INM 2008 GBP 120 0 GR
Independent gig review, 450-650 words, no exes _INM 2006 GBP 120 X
Independent "famous person" column _INM 2005 GBP 500
Independent Diary item _INM 2001 GBP 35
Independent Saturday mag 2pp _INM 1994 GBP 500 - X
Irish Examiner feature, length not specified _Crosbie 2006 GBP 70 XX
Irish Examiner 350 word book review _Crosbie 2004 EUR 80 X
Irish Independent online column _INM 2012 EUR 90
Irish Independent feature _INM 2006 EUR 220 GR
Irish News full broadsheet page _Inews 2005 GBP 70 XXXX
Irish Post feature + 3 photos - terms? _Smurf 2003 EUR 100
Irish Times The Irishwoman's Diary _ITtrust 2005 EUR 120
Irish Times 400 word book review _ITtrust 2004 EUR 220 O
Irish Voice per story, not including exes: US$ 100 2002 GBP 64 X
Mail and Guardian (South Africa) feature 1400 words and images 2005 GBP 90 X
Mail on Sunday kill fee for news story _Assoc 2010 GBP 350
Mail on Sunday £2500 agreed, story spiked, all expenses paid plus kill fee, after negotiation, of _Assoc 2009 GBP 2000
Mail on Sunday feature FBS _Assoc 2005 GBP 700
Mail on Sunday Assistance with page 1 lead _Assoc 2000 GBP 500
Mail on Sunday page lead _Assoc 1998 GBP 500 -
Mail on Sunday Analysis spread _Assoc 1997 GBP 1600 -
Metro travel piece: 900 words including boxes, plus photos. Editor: "Look, we know it's not much but how do you think we manage to put out a free paper?" Member: "No way." _Assoc 2008 GBP 150 XXXX
Metro 250-wd arts previews licence not known _Assoc 2007 GBP 37.50 X
Metro Column 250 words FBS _Assoc 2003 GBP 60
Miami Herald newsy feature from Venezuela , no exes paid, worldwide licence sought before publisher would use copy. 2009 USD 250 0 XXX
News of the World page lead mid-paper _NI 2010 GBP 500
News Of The World live music review, 100-150 words _NI 2010 GBP 50 X
News of the World story research _NI 2009 GBP 200 GR
News of the World spread _NI 1996 GBP 3500 -
Observer Sport Monthly - additional reporting for feature, ca. 400 words _GMG 2002 GBP 100
Politiken (Denmark) 750 word news piece - filed in English 2003 EUR 300
Scotsman 800 word arts feature no terms discussed: initial agreement was for £180 and when paid £120, was told 'this is what we always pay'. it blatantly was not. _Johnsto 2006 GBP 120 XXXX
Scotsman 200 word review _BarcB 2004 GBP 40 XXX
Scotsman 1600 words; extra for web use _BarcB 2003 GBP 195 50
Star Sunday news page lead _INM 2006 EUR 100 GR
Sun "small page lead" story, worcount not specified _NI 2011 GBP 500 O
Sun football report , no exes _NI 2010 GBP 30 XXX
Sun 5-par story _NI 2009 GBP 60 GR
Sun exclusive football transfer story, 4 pars used _NI 2009 GBP 40 X
Sunday Express "Focus" news story p8-9 spread FBS, no exes _NS 2001 GBP 750 GR
Sunday Independent feature, 2000 words plus images _INM 2005 EUR 500
Sunday Mirror page lead _TMG 1998 GBP 750 -
Sunday Telegraph 400 word story spiked then refreshed and used following week all rights _BarcB 2009 GBP 300 GR
Sunday Times (Scotland) column _NI 2000 GBP 250 -
Sunday Times kill fee for 1200 words commissioned _NI 2010 GBP 150
Sunday Times 600 words plus pic _NI 2003 GBP 500
Sunday Times Money column _NI 1998 GBP 250 - X
Sunday Tribune feature _INM 2005 EUR 375 O
Sunday Tribune 800-word book review _INM 2004 EUR 120 X
Sunday World news page lead _INM 2012 EUR 130 X
Ta Nea (Athens) per piece 2001 GBP 150
Telegraph reviews - commissioners trying to cut rate to £60 _BarcB 2009 GBP 100
Telegraph 900-word feature, rate is reduction from 2007 incl. web use _BarcB 2008 GBP 300 XX
Telegraph city diary piece no terms discussed _BarcB 2007 GBP 35
Telegraph 180-word record review rights tbc _BarcB 2006 GBP 80
The Sunday Times (Ireland) news story - 350 words _NI 2007 GBP 82.50
The Tablet feature FBS 2009 GBP 200
Times 120-word album, DVD, film reviews _NI 2008 GBP 50 X
Times 80-word album reviews, Sounds section _NI 2008 GBP 40 X
Times 450-500-word book reviews, Books sec, Sat ed _NI 2008 GBP 150
Times news page lead _NI 2007 GBP 130 GR XXX
Times arts feature: for anything between 800-1200 words. no licence terms discussed _NI 2006 GBP 350
Times feature FBS _NI 2005 GBP 400
Times 200-word record review _NI 2004 GBP 75 X
Times column 400 words FBS _NI 2003 GBP 200
Voice (1500 think-piece) _VTA 1994 GBP 200 -
Media Wales review, 350 words 2012 GBP 50
PA sport night lead (600-800 words) pathetic _PA 2007 GBP 50 XXX
PA sport match report 50-75 pounds _PA 2007 GBP 50 XX
unnamed Irish tabloid Central America news story talked up from "recession price" of Euro 180 offered, same paper offered Euro 500 two years ago 2010 EUR 250

The above are the rates for Words, other / news notified by members up to 15 May 2012.

 
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
 

Other rates: Click below... For...
Words, per 1000 News Local Mag online Book PR Other writing, paid per 1000 words
Words, other News Local Mag online Book PR Other writing, paid per page, per item, etc
Photography News Local Mag online Book PR Other pix whether paid by the piece or the day
Broadcasting News Local Other including podcasting all sorts of radio & TV work
Shifts News Local Mag online Book PR Other work paid by the day; e.g. sub-editing
Other: Cartoon | Crossword | Illustration | Punditry | Retainer | Teaching | Tip-off | Translation
  Recently reported rates all rates reported in the past few months
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Texts & collection © 15 May 2012 NUJ; disclaimer. Privacy.