[NUJ.LFB] NUJ Rate for the Job:
Words, per 1000 / online

Updated: 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.

^ Words, per 1000 / online

Yes, of course, 'online' work can also be 'news' or even 'mags'. But we're making a special effort to collect rates for work which is primarily for online use. (And we didn't fancy a three-dimensional table of types of work.)
* Tell us what you've been paid for Words, per 1000 / online * Freelance Fees Guide
Publication/Programme - details & terms        Group Year ¤ Basic fee Extras
alt.world (Wark Clements) web use only 2001 GBP 100
Construction News basic rate supplied by editor _EMAP 2001 GBP 200
European Cultural Digest 1998 GBP 200 -
Guardian Media website pic +5% for web gallery _GMG 2007 GBP 220 11
Guardian Media website pic +5% for web gallery _GMG 2007 GBP 500 25
Guardian Weekly website _GMG 2007 GBP 275
Guardian writing for website _GMG 2006 GBP 300
Guardian Society web-site news article standard Guardian contract, as in 2004-5 NUJ agreement _GMG 2005 GBP 239 16
Legal Updater identify expert; interview; research; write all rights assigned plus indemnity clause _RE 2006 GBP 170 X
Media resistance (Belgium) Web publication: $1000 for 15k characters) 2000 GBP 260 -
Media Resistance (Belgium - ($1000 for 15k characters) 1999 GBP 262 -
Mojo Blog (commissioned) terms as Q/Mojo freelance agreement _EMAP 2007 GBP 300
Observer feature online only _GMG 2003 GBP 200 0
The Register news story/feature 2007 GBP 250
Visual Systems Journal (Matt Publishing - or Bearpark?) Technical articles 2002 GBP 250 0
24HourMuseum website First Web Rights 2002 GBP 300
allmusic.com Rock musician "biographies" for online encyclopaedia all rights 2007 USD 70 XXXX
Associated New Media 900 words travel for website all rights _Assoc 2003 GBP 250 0
BBC Online licence not specified - they seem to have a payment on publication policy - last time payment took nearly 5 months _BBC 2005 GBP 218
blueyonder.co.uk 300 word film review @ £125 = _TeleW 2006 GBP 417 O
C4 Music website First Online rights _C4 2005 GBP 200
Channel 4 programme support booklets + web material, per 1000 _C4 2002 GBP 275 O
Channel 4 writing for website _C4 2001 GBP 250
Channel 4 website essay for Dispatches - no improvement in years! all rights _C4 2005 GBP 275 X
Channel 4 website same rate for 3 years _C4 2005 GBP 275
Channel 4 website _C4 2000 GBP 250
condenet.com $1 a word _CondN 2001 GBP 690
Digital-Lifestyles.info news articles 2004 GBP 100 X
EMusic 250+ word album review for £150 All rights 2007 GBP 600 O
eMusic Q+A features all rights plus indemnity clause non-negotiable 2007 GBP 214 X
eMusic reviews all rights with useful "license back", tricky indemnity clause 2007 GBP 500 0 O
eMusic.com 200-word music reviews all rights + obnoxious indemnity clause 2007 GBP 500 GR
Film4 website 1800 words for £200 = _C4 2006 GBP 111 XXX
FirstPersonGlobal all rights 2002 GBP 300
Freeserve websites feature article 2002 GBP 285
Guardian unlimited 2008 GBP 267
Guardian Unlimited interview - note house agreement minimum rate for print is £247 + £16 for web! _GMG 2008 GBP 150 X
Guardian website 400-600 word blog - if used - pays £77 terms unclear - undercuts agreed paper minimum of £247 + £16 for online use _GMG 2007 GBP 154 X
Guardian website 800 words "Comment is free" blog for £75 terms not clear, massively undercuts agreed paper rates _GMG 2007 GBP 93 XX
Handbag.com Features 2003 GBP 300
icircle.com (freeserve.co.uk) feature All rights 2003 GBP 200 X
Improvement and Development Agency feature writing no terms specified _HMG 2002 GBP 200
Institute for War and Peace Reporting 2002 GBP 75
Intelfax content for UK Foreign Office websites no exes! 2002 GBP 125 0
justfornurses.co.uk feature writing, 700 words @ £300, no terms specified 2002 GBP 450 GR O
new website travel _NI 2000 GBP 300
NHS website copy _HMG 2008 GBP 200 X
opendemocracy.net 1000-word column 2006 GBP 100 X
OpenDemocracy.org retained copyright 2004 GBP 0
Royal Society Write up scientific discussion web-only so far 2003 GBP 250
The Royal Society writeup of scientific meeting for web use - 5000 words total 2003 GBP 250
Soccernet all rights _Disney 2007 GBP 100 X
TeacherNet web feature _HMG 2004 GBP 244
theregister.co.uk 2003 GBP 250
Website for a national charity 12 monthly articles, each £130 for 800 words web use indefinitely 2005 GBP 162.50
www.40plustravelandleisure.com travel article with photographs first electronic rights 2007 GBP 45 GR XXXX
www.wired.com news feature First American Serial rights US$500 _Lycos 2005 GBP 250 X
www.wired.com features US$350 First American serial _Lycos 2005 GBP 186 X

The above are the rates for Words, per 1000 / online notified by members up to 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
 

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 © 03 May 2008 NUJ; disclaimer.