NUJ Rate for the Job: Shifts / regional

Rates archived as at 2025-07-09

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" or "Search" 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 / regional Writing and editing work for regional 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.) See also national papers. These are archived rates. The current rates are here.
Tell us what you've been paid for Shifts / regional		Freelance Fees Guide
Publication / Programme - details & terms	Group	Year		Total paid	GR	XXXX
Basildon Evening Echo 7.5hrs subbing	_NQ	2002		80.00		X
Belfast Telegraph subbing/ reporting shift	_INM	2001		63.00
Belfast Telegraph sub shift	_INM	2001		63.00	GR	X
Castleford and Pontefract Express reporting day	_Johnsto	2013		55.00		XXXX
Chichester Observer per hour - isn't this illegal?	_Johnsto	2005		3.58		XXXX
City A.M. subbing day		2008		140.00	GR
East Anglian Daily Times	_ECN	2003		85.00
East Anglian Daily Times subbing day (7hrs)	_ECN	2002		85.00
East London Advertiser subbing day	_ECN	2008		100.00		XXX
ECN reporting day	_RBI	1998		150.00
Enfield Advertiser	_SouthN	2001		100.00
Enfield Gazette subbing day	_TMG	2002		120.00		X
Enfield Gazette subbing day	_TMG	2002		100.00		XX
Enfield Gazette		1999		90.00
Evening Standard editing day	_Lebedev	2013		160.00	GR
Falkirk Herald reporting day: 8hrs with 30min lunch no expenses paid, not taxed at source	_Johnsto	2013		81.00		XXX
Greenwich Times subbing half-day		1996		60.00
Greenwich subbing day no holiday pay; not taxed at source		2013		150.00
Irish News 6.5 hour subbing shift	_Inews	2007		75.00	GR
Irish News Belfast subbing shift	_Inews	2001		55.00	GR	XX
Irish News Belfast reporting shift	_Inews	2001		51.50	GR	XX
Lancaster Evening Post eight hour subbing shift	_RIM	2002		78.00	GR
Manchester Evening News subbing day	_GMG	2004		93.42	GR
News + Star / Cumberland News, Carlisle 7.5 hour subbing day	_Cumbria	2007		80.00		X
Northampton Chronicle & Echo news reporting day	_Johnsto	2010		110.00		X
Oldham Advertiser (local free paper) subbing per day	_GMG	2001		80.00
Oxford Times writing day	_NQ	2010		100.00		XX
Sheffield Star picture research / desk shift	_Johnsto	2006		65.00		X
Shropshire Star subbing or reporting day	_MNA	2011		85.00		X
Solihull News subbing day, 7 hours	_TMG	2013		100.00	GR	X
South London Press layout, subbing and reporting day	_Tindle	2012		100.00		X
Southern Echo subbing day: princely 10% raise on 1989 rate and no extra for nights, Sundays or public holidays	_NQ	2001		55.00		XX
Stratford Herald legal column, per day		2004		75.00		X
Sunday Life (Belfast) sub shift	_INM	2001		63.00	GR	X
The Clare People reporting per day	_INM	2008		100.00
The Scotsman subbing day	_Johnsto	2013		95.00	GR	XX
The Wharf subbing shift 11-7pm still waiting end of Sept for work done in July	_TMG	2004		130.00
The Wharf day subbing 10-6 work done early June & yet to be paid in November	_TMG	2002		60.00		XX
Times Education Supplement Cymru (Wales) Reporting day no extra for Web use	_TSL	2008		150.00
Wakefield Express reporting day	_Johnsto	2013		55.00		XXXX
Wokingham Times subbing shift	_GMG	2005		100.00	GR	X
Yorkshire on Sunday subbing day		1993		70.00
Yorkshire Post subbing day	_Johnsto	2013		95.00	GR
Yorkshire Post subbing 16:30 - 00:30	_Johnsto	2002		95.00		X
Archant local newspaper reporting day, exes paid	_ECN	2007		85.00		X
Archant local papers reporting day web use included	_ECN	2008		85.00		XX
Archant local papers news reporting shift	_ECN	2008		85.00		XX
BBC news subbing day	_BBC	2013		148.00	GR
Bradford Telegraph and Argus reporting day (turned down!)	_NQ	2013		75.00		XXX
Clyde and Forth local papers in Berks/Bucks subbing day, for experienced subs	_CF	2005		100.00
English regional newspaper reporting day (7.5hrs approx)	_Johnsto	2013		100.00		XX
Guardian+Gazette series subbing day		1996		60.00
Local papers (Trinity Mirror Southern) subbing day	_TMG	2002		110.00
Local papers 8 hours		1998		75.00
Media Wales (formerly Western Mail and Echo) seven-and-a-half hour subbing day (hour for lunch, unpaid)	_TMG	2009		87.00		XX
NewsQuest reporting day	_NQ	1998		90.00		X
NewsQuest local papers subbing day - unchanged since 2000	_NQ	2005		90.00		X
Northcliffe local papers subbing day	_Assoc	2005		90.00		X
Reed Regional papers subbing day		1996		75.00
Sussex Newspapers subbing day	_Johnsto	2013		80.00	GR	XX
Trinity Mirror local papers subbing day	_TMG	2005		90.00		X
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 known	Group
3 The year in which the rate was reported		Year
4 Currency: either or or (US)
5 Amount paid (total of basic licence and extra licences for web use, database resale...)				Amount
7 "Going Rate" according to experienced NUJ members - do try to better it:					GR
or Minimum rate set out in NUJ House Agreement:					HA
8 Underpaid, in the fallible opinion of the Freelance editor:				50.00		X
or Just sometimes we're pleasantly surprised:				1500.00		O

Other rates:

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