Throughout the broadcasting industry fees tend to be led by those paid by the BBC, with which the NUJ has a number of agreements on minimum terms. They vary widely, however, because of the range of different jobs freelances undertake, the complexity and plethora of guidelines (some agreed with the NUJ, some not) and hugely varied budgets attached to each programme or station.

Broadcast journalism is certainly not the best-paid area of the media and often rates are, quite simply, poor.

As always for freelances, the best advice is to know what other freelances are being paid - talk to other NUJ members - and negotiate. One senior radio producer advises: "Always raise the question of fees before agreeing to take on a commission. Freelances who do not will be paid minimum rates and will have lost any negotiating strength. No-one should be embarrassed - producers expect professionals to talk money and they need professionals to do the work."

Extensive negotiations between the NUJ and BBC have finally resulted in the BBC dropping the copyright grab clause in their standard contract for radio features. It has been replaced by a licence which is exclusive for two years and non-exclusive thereafter. This is an improvement, but not satisfactory and the NUJ is working for further improvements. Of course, the standard contract remains on offer, but the freelance may be able to negotiate and, anyway, can refuse.

Payments for shifts

The suggested rates for shifts do not form part of a formal agreement, but broadly reflect accepted going rates.

Freelances who are offered payment at daily rates pro-rata to the staff rate for the grade of work they are being asked to do should stipulate that the rates should at least, if not above, the mid-point on the salary scale for that work - plus at least 18 per cent (to cover on-costs). Paid time off should be added automatically at the appropriate percentage rate, although managers may argue that freelances are paid as "casual staff" with tax and NI being deducted at source: see Shift payments - tax and time off.

Sections:

• BBC and national TV
• Commercial radio
• Programme support

BBC and national TV

Rates are largely set throughout the industry by NUJ agreements with the BBC on minima. In the ever-expanding independent production sector, however, freelances may have to negotiate hard - and invoice early and often.

These are some things to remember when negotiating rates for broadcasting work for the BBC and national TV. And please send us your accounts of successful negotiations.

• The rates suggested for copyright work are for limited licences: each extra use licensed should attract an extra fee.
• The current standard licence offered by the BBC for radio features is exclusive for two years and permits non-exclusive thereafter - but the NUJ is working on improving this and individual freelances may also be able to negotiate variations.
• The rates are suggested as minima from which freelances will negotiate upward according to their experience and specialist knowledge and the value of the work.
• Rates for supply of footage vary enormously depending on the nature and newsworthiness of the event captured. Be especially careful to be clear about what uses are licensed - and how syndication income will be divided if the camera-person allows the broadcaster to sell on.
• The rates for shifts are going rates: remember that paid time off should be added automatically - see Shift payments - tax and time off.
• Freelances who are registered for VAT will add it to every invoice.

The rates negotiated with the BBC are current until 31 July 2008. They should serve as a guide for other broadcasters, bearing in mind the size of their audience.

Commercial radio

Rates are largely set throughout the industry by the NUJ agreements with The Radio Centre (until 2007 named the Commercial Radio Companies' Association). At small and local stations, however, freelances may have to negotiate hard.

These are some things to remember when negotiating rates for commercial radio work. And please send us your accounts of successful negotiations.

• The rates suggested for copyright work are for limited licences: each extra use licensed attracts an extra fee.
• The rates are suggested as minima from which freelances will negotiate upward according to their experience and specialist knowledge and the value of the work.
• The rates for shifts are going rates: remember that paid time off should be added automatically - see Shift payments - tax and time off.
• Freelances who are registered for VAT will add it to every invoice.

Smaller stations will often try to get away with paying less than these rates - even those whose parent companies have agreed to them through the Commercial Radio Companies Association (in 2007 renamed The Radio Centre). We would much appreciate more reports of rates paid and NUJ members joining in discussion on negotiating them.

Programme support

Broadcasting organisations, such as the BBC or Channel 4, often produce information-packed factsheets, glossy publications and web material to support their programmes.

Please bear in mind these general points about negotiating rates for work on programme support. And please send us your accounts of successful negotiations.

• The rates suggested for copyright work are for limited licences - for example to publish the work in one booklet or one one website for a set period;
• Each extra use licensed - for example a book made from a popular website, or re-use in marketing material to promote a programme - attracts an extra fee;
• The rates are suggested as minima from which freelances will negotiate upward according to their experience and specialist knowledge and the value of the work; and
• The day rates are going rates. Remember that paid time off should usually be added automatically - see Shift payments - tax and time off.
• Freelances who are registered for VAT will add it to every invoice.

We haven not actually heard from anyone who has negotiated a limited-time licence. In fact some broadcasters are very keen to get assignment of all rights for one low fee. But it is always worth discussing time-limits as part of the negotiating process - as usual, asking "what do you actually want to do with the work?" is a good place to start.

Writers approached about programme support work should beware of indemnity clauses. Many contracts are lawyers' laundry lists that include both:

• a "waiver of the moral right to defend the integrity of the work" - in English, that is the right to change it at will - and
• a clause making the writer "indemnify" the broadcaster against any legal action - in English, that means that if they change the work to libel someone, or lift a whopping copyright violation and drop it into the middle of the work, they want you to pay for the court-case. Or, for that matter, if they inserted a claim that Amanita Muscaria is good to eat and a small village was wiped out as a result... they would want you to be liable.

Obviously, it is in writers' interests to refuse blanket indemnities and decent editors will not press for them. One large book publisher recently agreed to change its contract wording to:

all statements in the Work purporting to be factual are true to the best of the Author's knowledge having undertaken proper and diligent research with respect hereto

We suggest using this as a starting point for negotiations over amending contracts that demand indemnities. NUJ members under pressure to sign can get advice on alternative wording, including a lawyer-generated alternative form of words, from the Freelance Office.

Definitions

Here we define the categories used in the suggested rates sections.