NUJ Rate for the Job:
Broadcasting / news

Updated: 20 December 2017

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.

Broadcasting / news Completists may want to see a few older rates. Includes punditry: for non-broadcast punditry see here.
Tell us what you've been paid for Broadcasting / news		Freelance Fees Guide
Publication / Programme - details & terms	Group	Year		Basic fee	Extras	GR	XXXX
Adam Boulton Show on Sky punditry	_NI	2016		200
AJ Investigates (Al Jazeera) Retainer per month		2017		400
From Our Own Correspondent radio item 600-700 words (compare house agreement: website copy £175 up to 800 words)	_BBC	2013		160			X
Inside Out producer, per week	_BBC	2013		800
Inside Story Punditry - 25 mins including car pick up 1.5 hours		2012		250		GR
IRN football match reports	_IRN	2006		35			XXXX
Newsnight punditry	_BBC	2016		150
Newsnight expert/pundit appearance, prod/exes 1.5 mins took 1.5 hours (car paid)	_BBC	2009		75			X
Newsnight expert/pundit appearance	_BBC	2009		90
North West Tonight (BBC Regional News Prog) Broadcast Journalist (Planning) day	_BBC	2003		70	0		XXXX
Sky News punditry	_NI	2016		150
Sky News punditry - standing in a field and blathering for about 15 mins transport offerd, but our member was already in the field	_NI	2016		200
The Ferret (ITV Wales) reporting day not taxed at source, plus exes (meagre)	_ITV	2013		374
You and Yours reporting day expenses paid	_BBC	2017		150
Al Jazeera video online: 1 min 30 sec of edited live news footage		2010		300
Al Jazeera English Documentary - 25 minutes, 5 weeks' work		2014		6000			?
Al Jazeera English Documentary - 25 minutes, 5 weeks' work		2014		6000			?
Al Jazeera TV Reporter day shift on contract (so includes time off element)		2012		337.50			O
Al Jazeera TV (English) punditry , terms "rubbish"		2013		225
Associated Press 1 minute footage on-spec 24-hour worldwide licence, 50/50 library licence	_AP	2017		360		GR	O
Associated Press video day	_AP	2017		400		GR
BBC news copy, used on TV, radio and web FBS	_BBC	2004		10			XXXX
BBC Newsnight punditry - "we don't pa" but they will pay a beautifully-named "disturbance fee": transport provided	_BBC	2016		75
BBC news reporting day	_BBC	2013		280
BBC News newspapers review - pundit appearance	_BBC	2010		150
BBC news pundit appearance - unlike C4 News, involved no lawyer discussion	_BBC	2004		75			X
BBC News Channel 5-min expert pundit TV interview	_BBC	2015		75		GR
BBC Northern Ireland punditry on phone (radio)	_BBC	2013		75
BBC One Breakfast 5 minute live punditry		2007		50
BBC radio interview		2014		118
BBC radio report		2014		300
BBC radio 2 mins pundit 2-way with presenters	_BBC	2003		34			XX
BBC radio reporting day	_BBC	2003		120
BBC radio 3-minute package	_BBC	2003		200
BBC radio punditry on phone (radio)	_BBC	2013		30			X
BBC Radio 3 freelance radio presenter	_BBC	2014		400	150
BBC Radio 4 30 seconds of rare audio	_BBC	2010		100
BBC Radio 4 editing day	_BBC	2005		250
BBC Radio 4 6-minute feature paid as 1.5 days	_BBC	2003		325
BBC Radio 4 expert interviews / punditry	_BBC	2016		120			O
BBC Radio 4 pundit interview for radio documentary	_BBC	2013		80
BBC Radio 5 review of papers	_BBC	2003		100
BBC Radio 5 pundit interview	_BBC	2003		50
BBC Radio 5 pundit interview, under 5mins	_BBC	2003		29			XXX
BBC Radio 5 Live 5 minutes broadcast from Belgium-Wales gamme in World Cup	_BBC	2015		30			XXX
BBC Radio 5 Live 3 minutes talking about Belgium (World Cup punditry)	_BBC	2015		100
BBC Radio 6music pundit spot	_BBC	2013		75
BBC radio features new minimum agreed rate	_BBC	2005		260.96		HA
BBC radio features new agreed rate per minute after the minimum	_BBC	2005		37.28		HA
BBC Radio Five Live live telephone two-way from scene of story no exes	_BBC	2001		29
BBC TV and radio punditry in studio	_BBC	2013		75			X
BBC TV and radio punditry in studio	_BBC	2013		100
BBC TV doc Punditry - expert interview took two hours	_BBC	2014		250
BBC TV doc Punditry - expert interview took two hours	_BBC	2014		250
BBC TV News channel Pundit/expert interview in studio, supposed to be three mins, became 10	_BBC	2015		75			X
BBC TV/radio News and current affairs reporting shift - 12hrs	_BBC	2000		180	-
BBC TV/radio News and current affairs reporting shift - 8hrs	_BBC	2000		140	-
BBC Wales punditry	_BBC	2016		40
BBC World Service punditry	_BBC	2016		80
BBC World Service day of unspecified work	_BBC	2016		180
BBC World Service punditry, 30 mins in studio	_BBC	2014		100
BBC World Service punditry, 30 mins in studio	_BBC	2014		100
BBC World Service 10.5-hour shift	_BBC	2005		157.50
BBC World Service 9-hour shift	_BBC	2003		157.50
BBC World Service pundit interview	_BBC	2003		31
BBC World Service pundit interview, under 5mins	_BBC	2003		90
BBC World Service writing and recording for From Our Own Correspondent item all rights	_BBC	2013		141	0		XXXX
Brazilian radio station daily 1-minute international news bulletin		2013		250
Channel 4 News punditry - expert interview	_ITN	2012		60			X
Channel 4 News reporting day	_ITN	2011		136
Channel 4 News 3 minutes of footage	_ITN	2006		350
Channel 4 news exclusive appearance - involved 1.5 hours discussion with lawyer	_ITN	2004		50			XXX
Channel 4 News pundit interview	_ITN	2004		0			XXXX
Channel 4 News Assistance with news item.	_ITN	2000		100			X
Channel 5 News appearance on evening news bulletin as pundit (music)	_ITN	2008		75			X
Channel Five TV Your News video: made 13 minutes of video which they edited down to one or two minutes; used on TV & web site	_BSkyB	2009		100			XXXX
CNBC producing day	_NBC	2013		230
CNN news copy-editing, writing, producing day	_AOLTW	2004		160		GR
Colourful Radio day researching stories and guests, booking guests, writing scripts, putting programme together, operating production desk - invoices submitted on last day of each month, cheque promised for 6th Month but was always late.		2006		65	0		XXXX
DW-Radio (Germany) 6 minute radio feature		2012		227
Factual radio magazine programme presenting, scripting + interviewing an 18-minute radio programme all rights	_BBC	2013		367	0	GR
From Our Own Correspondent broadcast contribution - up £5 on 2007!	_BBC	2008		125
GMTV news editor - bulletins, per day	_GMTV	2004		220			X
GMTV news news producer overnight shift	_GMTV	2002		178
Heart FM (London) (Global Radio Ltd) news presenting day (8 hours)		2014		120			X
Ideal World Productions offered indies for BBC programme two-person shoot, per day		2002		400			X
Ideal World Productions offered indies for BBC programme one-person shoot, per day		2002		250			X
Ideal World Productions offered indies for BBC programme research, per day		2002		100			X
Ideal World Productions offered indies for BBC programme archive footage, per minute		2002		300			X
Independent radio production company (anon) punditry, 30 mins in studio		2014		100
Independent radio production company (anon) punditry, 30 mins in studio		2014		100
IRN News reporting, editing, scripting and voicing self produced packages in an 8hr shift.	_IRN	2006		92		GR
ITN pundit interview about the papal election: called at 12:00 for an interview at 13.30: member refused	_ITN	2005		0			XXXX
ITV Daybreak appearing and giving opinions as a psychologist on various topics travel expenses only paid	_ITV	2017		0	0		XXXX
ITV National News (ITN) reporting day, food expenses paid, surely per hour	_ITN	2013		20
ITV News reporting day not taxed at source, plus exes (meagre)	_ITV	2013		374			O
ITV News (national) 10 hour reporting shift	_ITN	2009		180
Major UK broadcaster producing a series of programmes, per week, negotiated up from £1200 per week , terms Plus expenses		2015		1400	0
Mark Thomas Product Channel 4 archive images 2 UK transmissions, per minute		2001		400
More4 News Investigation, video package	_ITN	2012		2000			?
MP3TV shift		2001		200
Music documentary use of interview audio, per minute		2014		500		GR
Music documentary use of interview audio, minimum per minute (according to music journalists' discussions)		2014		250
Music documentary use of interview audio, per minute		2014		500		GR
Music documentary use of interview audio, minimum per minute (according to music journalists' discussions)		2014		250
Newsnight Punditry spot - "disturbance fee"	_BBC	2016		75			X
Nieuwslijn - Radio Netherlands Worldwide editor radio, per shift 8 hours		2009		239.06		GR	X
Online video site full day (up to 10 hours) exclusive		2017		300	0		0
Online video site half day in London exclusive, travel paid		2017		200	0
Online video site half day outside London exclusive, travel paid		2017		250	0
Premier Christian Radio news presenting day (8 hours)		2014		96		GR	X
Radio 5 live quick phone interview on news event - punditry no terms mentioned	_BBC	2017		30			X
Radio 5 Live 5-minute live pundit spot	_BBC	2005		50			XX
Radio Canada item	_CBC	2005		700
Radio Canada retainer?	_CBC	2004		700
Radio France "On the Spot" radio documentaries creating a 4 minute radio documentary program (pitching, writing, recording, editing). Ideally 1 full day of work, realistically 1.5 to 2 days of work. expenses paid for travel outside of city limits only.		2015		80		GR	X
Radio France International (France) 3.5-4 minute radio feature		2012		124
Record companies (various) Video pop/rock star PR interviews for EPKs (Electronic Press Kits) - highest of various rates over recent years all rights		2014		5000	0		O
Record companies (various) Video pop/rock star PR interviews for EPKs (Electronic Press Kits) - highest of various rates over recent years all rights		2014		5000	0		O
RT news skype piece 2-way 10 mins skype interview journalist says First British Serial rights		2016		50
RTE News London day - 2 news packages + exes	_RTE	2002		120			XX
RTE News London pundit interview	_RTE	2002		40			XX
RTE Radio 1 17 seconds of audio lifted from a video, then invoiced	_RTE	2010		150
RTE Six-One News (TV) Live correspondent two-way, in studio, from abroad	_RTE	2016		60			XXX
RTE World Report audio report from abroad, 4 min , terms not discussed, no exes	_RTE	2009		120			X
ruptly.tv shoot video for about an hour, two interviews, rough edit, file via ftp - probably two or three hours total all rights		2014		200			XX
ruptly.tv shoot video for about an hour, two interviews, rough edit, file via ftp - probably two or three hours total all rights		2014		200			XX
SBS (Australia's Special Broadcasting Service?) Feature documentary - 10 weeks per week		2014		850			O
SBS (Australia's Special Broadcasting Service?) Feature documentary - 10 weeks per week		2014		850			O
Sky pundit interview	_NI	2003		75
Sky Digital 1-hour health report	_NI	2005		250			XX
Sky News being interviewed about the papacy and the papal election	_NI	2005		75		GR
Sky News Short expert/'pundit' spot on screen	_NI	2002		75
Sky News assistant news editor, 12-hr day shift	_NI	2002		180
Sky News assistant news editor, 12-hr night shift	_NI	2002		200
Sky News Short expert/'pundit' spot on screen	_NI	2002		75
Sky news subbing day	_NI	1993		150	-
Sky news research day	_NI	1993		150	-
Sky News 15-20-minute pundit interview, taxi to and from laid on		2017		120
Sky News punditry spot	_NI	2016		150
Sky News 11-hour overnight producing day/night	_BSkyB	2013		240
Sky News Presenting through limited company	_NI	2012		350
Sky News (London HQ) on-screen newsreader, 8-hr day	_NI	2013		250		GR	XX
Sky News foreign desk producing day, abroad	_NI	2007		250			O
Sky News Radio Editing/subbing/reporting/newsreading day	_BSkyB	2008		127.50		GR
Sky Radio news report	_NI	1993		150	-
Sky Sports News presenting paid gross for 4 hours	_NI	2013		300		GR	O
South Bank Centre Podcast: 15-minute talk	_HMG	2014		122
South Bank Centre Podcast: 15-minute talk	_HMG	2014		122
Sunday politics regional opt out Expert/pundit interview to camera - 2 hours to airport (location) and back plus travel expenses £60 BBC all rights	_BBC	2017		80
Sunrise (Sky News) newspapers review pundit appearance	_BSkyB	2010		150
Tonight research story (day)	_Granada	2002		150
Unnamed broadcaster Punditry spot. Talked up to travel expenses plus	_BBC	2016		200
US film company day reporting to camera		2001		250
Video packages 2 video packages , plus exes	_AFP	2012		200			XXXX
Weekly programme on BBC World News producing a weekly TV news magazine buyout per programme, nominally 2.5 days work per week	_BBC	2013		800	0
ZDF TV production day shift including VAT		2011		240
The above are the rates for Broadcasting / news notified by members up to 20 December 2017.
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
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:				50	0		X
or Just sometimes we're pleasantly surprised:				1500	300		O

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