NUJ Rate for the Job: recent rates for Shifts / news

Updated: 2025-11-18

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 / news Writing and editing work for national 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 regional newspapers. If you are interested, the archived rates are here.
Tell us what you've been paid for Shifts / news		Freelance Fees Guide
Publication / Programme - details & terms	Group	Year		Total paid	GR	XXXX
Daily Mail six-hour news subbing day	_Assoc	2024		160.00
Daily Mail one day news reporting shift	_Assoc	2023		195.00
Guardian camera operator / editor / producer day	_GMG	2025		230.00	HA
Guardian multimedia journalist day	_GMG	2025		190.00	HA
Guardian subbing day , terms - includes paid time off compensation	_GMG	2023		233.94
Guardian eight-hour news shift	_GMG	2023		210.00
i newspaper eight-hour news shift	_Assoc	2023		180.00
i paper news subbing day - 7 hours 15 minutes with 25 minute break	_Assoc	2024		154.00
Observer subbing shift 8 hours weekday		2025		221.00
Observer subbing shift 8 hours weekend		2025		247.00
Times news editing shift - after some wrangling	_NI	2024		195.00
Times and Sunday Times news subbing shift, print and digital - flat rate for all shifts regardless of week/weekend or 9-5 or antisocial times - eight-hour shift, with holiday paid separately and automatically at £7.23 per shift extra	_NI	2025		166.00
Times and Sunday Times 8-hour subbing day	_NI	2023		166.00
BBC news desk shift 9 hours	_BBC	2024		193.00
BBC news desk shift 10.5 hour shift	_BBC	2024		240.00
NBC News Digital on Twitter seeks homepage, app and social editor - full-time freelance - per year up to		2023		50000.00
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 recent rates:

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Freelance Fees Guide home page

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