NUJ Rate for the Job:
Shifts / mags

Archived: 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.

Shifts / mags Writing and editing work for magazines, 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. The 'extras' column is irrelevant for subbing shifts.) These are archived rates - see current rates.
Tell us what you've been paid for Shifts / mags		Freelance Fees Guide
Publication / Programme - details & terms	Group	Year		Basic fee	Extras	GR	XXXX
Accountancy Age subbing	_VNU	1997		120	-
Africa factfile associate editor day		2000		50	-		X
Africa Today five days		2003		150			XXXX
Audio Media subbing day		1995		150	-
Audio Media subbing day		1995		200	-
BA News (Red House Lane publications) writing day		2001		100
BBC On Air subbing day	_BBC	2003		110
Bean Bag (magazine - WV-Highbury) proofing, subbing on screen per day	_Highbur	2002		100
Big Issue news writing day	_BI	2003		60			XX
Big Issue Scotland; per agreement	_BI	1997		95	-	HA
Business News Writing, per hour		1997		10	-
Campaign subbing day	_HM	1992		90	-
Chat subbing day	_IPC	2006		120		GR	X
Chat subbing day - holiday on top	_IPC	2005		110			X
Chic! subbing day	_NS	1996		80	-		X
Commercial Motor newsdesk day	_RBI	1994		120	-
Community Care subbing half-day	_RBI	1995		80	-		X
Competitive Edge features day		1995		200	-
Competitive Edge features day		1995		150	-
Computer Retail News subbing day	_VNU	1994		110	-
Condé Nast Traveler subbing day	_CondN	1998		100	-		X
Conference+Incentive Travel subbing day	_HM	1993		95	-
Construction News subbing day	_EMAP	1992		105	-
Cuba Business subbing/writing day		2001		120
Cycling Today subbing day		1995		80	-
Digital Data technical authoring per hour		1995		15	-
Doctor news day	_RBI	1997		100	-
Doctor subbing day	_RBI	1995		100	-
East End Life (Tower Hamlets council)	_HMG	2002		130
East End Life Tower Hamlets Council - subbing day (paid late)	_HMG	2002		120
Edition Subbing day		1998		130	-
Elle Decoration subbing shift	_Hach	1998		90	-
Elle Decoration subbing day	_Hach	1997		90	-		X
Esquire subbing day (taxed at source)	_NatMag	1996		90	-		XX
Estates Times Quark subbing day		1995		110	-
Euromoney subbing day	_Assoc	1993		90	-
Eva, etc subbing day	_IPC	1995		110	-
Eve 9-hour subbing shift	_BBC	2003		120
Financial News subbing shift	_LFNP	2003		120
Global Dialogue on Peace writing day		1996		100	-
Good Housekeeping subbing day	_NatMag	1996		95	-		X
Guardian subbing day Hol pay on top, taxed at source	_GMG	2004		146.79		HA
Harpers+Queen subbing day	_NatMag	1998		100	-
Health matters reporting		2000		150	-
Health Service Journal subbing day	_EMAP	1998		142	-
Health Service Journal subbing day	_EMAP	1994		125	-
Here's Health Acting Chief Sub	_EMAP	1996		95	-		XXX
Inside Housing subbing day	_TMG	1995		112	-
Library Association Record Subbing day		1997		100	-
Local Government Chronicle subbing day	_EMAP	1994		110	-
Marie Claire subbing shift taxed at source	_IPC	2004		110			X
Marie Claire subbing day	_IPC	1998		95	-		XX
Marie-Claire subbing per day not taxed at source	_IPC	2004		110
Marie-Claire subbing day	_IPC	1998		100	-		X
Marketing subbing day	_HM	1995		105	-		X
Marketing subbing day	_HM	1994		105	-
Marketing subbing day	_HM	1994		97	-
Marketing subbing day	_HM	1992		95	-
Match of the Day Subbing day	_BBC	1997		60	-		XXX
Media International subbing day		1992		100	-
Media Week subbing	_Quantum	2003		120
Media Week day reporting shift all in	_Quantum	2000		120
Melody Maker Subbing day	_IPC	1997		100	-
Metier-Design subbing day		1999		100	-
Middle East Newsletters subbing day		1994		125	-
Mizz subbing day	_IPC	2003		100			XX
Mizz subbing shift per day	_IPC	2002		100		GR	X
Mojo subbing day	_EMAP	2001		100
Mojo subbing	_EMAP	2001		125
Mojo subbing day	_EMAP	2000		125
Motor Industry magazine special		1994		200	-
Mountain Biker subbing day	_IPC	1992		75	-
Nature subbing shift paid gross	_Holtzb	2003		163.56		GR	O
Nature subbing, per day (regular)	_Holtzb	2002		137.91
Nature subbing, per day (casual)	_Holtzb	2002		159.57
Nature subbing day	_Holtzb	2001		155
Nature (Macmillan) per hour	_Holtzb	1998		13.75	-
Nature (Macmillan) subbing day	_Holtzb	1998		136.29	-
New Africa writing day		1996		100	-
New Nation Reporting, per hour		1997		10	-
New Scientist subbing day	_RBI	2006		169		GR
New Scientist stand-in section editor day	_RBI	2006		169		GR
New Scientist subbing shift	_RBI	2006		167
New Scientist stand-in section editor, day	_RBI	2005		164		GR
New Scientist subbing day	_RBI	2005		164		GR
New Scientist subbing day	_RBI	2004		159		GR
New Scientist section editor day	_RBI	2004		159		GR	X
New Scientist subbing taxed at source	_RBI	2003		154			O
New Scientist section editor, day	_RBI	2001		150
New Scientist editorial	_RBI	1999		143	-
New Scientist	_RBI	1997		123	-
New Statesman subbing (was 80 two years ago)		1993		75	-		XX
Nursing Standard reporting day	_TU	2001		120
OK subbing shift per day	_NS	2002		100		GR	X
Parenting subbing day	_IPC	1998		94	-
Parking Review subbing day		1998		75	-		X
PC Dealer news writing day	_VNU	1995		110	-
Penthouse writing / subbing shift	_NS	1998		90	-		X
People reporting dat, per hour US$25, 7 hours =	_AOLTW	2003		112
Period Living subbing per day	_EMAP	2001		100			X
Period Living subbing day	_EMAP	1996		90	-
Pink Paper business page		1996		120	-
Post Update subbing day (rate supplied by editor)		1996		120	-
Pulse subbing day	_MF	1997		110	-
Pulse reporting day	_MF	1996		110	-
Q day subbing	_EMAP	2001		120
Q subbing day	_EMAP	1993		100	-
Radio Times subbing TV listings, per day	_BBC	2003		110
Sainsbury's the magazine Subbing day		1998		110	-
Sainsbury's the magazine subbing day		1996		100	-
Sainsburys the magazine subbing day		1996		100	-
That's Life Subbing day	_Bauer	1998		110	-		X
That's Life subbing day	_Bauer	1996		100	-
That's Life subbing day	_Bauer	1996		100	-
The Face subbing	_EMAP	2004		130
The Face subbing day	_EMAP	2003		120
The Journal		1999		50	-		XX
The Journal day		1999		50	-		XX
Times Educational Supplement Subbing day	_NI	2003		139
Times Educational Supplement news reporting shift	_NI	2002		119
Times Educational Supplement subbing per shift	_NI	2001		127
Times Educational Supplement subbing day	_NI	1996		108.25	-
Times Educational Supplement subbing day	_NI	1995		100	-
Times Educational Supplement subbing day	_NI	1995		100	-
Times Educational Supplement subbing day	_NI	1995		80	-		X
Times Educational Supplement subbing day	_NI	1994		108	-
Times Educational Supplement subbing half-day	_NI	1993		70	-
Times Educational Supplement subbing day	_NI	1993		130	-
Times Educational Supplement subbing day	_NI	1992		103.10	-
Times Higher Education Supplement subbing day	_NI	1992		103.10	-
Top Santé subbing day	_Hach	1998		95	-
Tribune subbing day		1993		40	-		X
Vox Subbing day		1997		100	-
What's on TV subbing day	_IPC	1992		98.50	-
Wired UK subbing day	_CondN	1997		250	-
Woman's Own subbing day	_IPC	1998		94.25	-
EMAP Elan Acting Chief Sub	_EMAP	1996		110	-		X
EMAP titles subbing day (95 promised soon)	_EMAP	1993		85	-
Haymarket subbing day	_HM	1993		85	-
Haymarket subbing day	_HM	1993		95	-
IPC soccer titles- subbing day	_IPC	1998		95	-		X
IPC titles subbing day	_IPC	1999		105	-
IPC titles Subbing day	_IPC	1999		105	-
IPC titles subbing day	_IPC	1998		100	-
IPC titles Acting section editor	_IPC	1998		134	-		X
IPC titles Section editor day	_IPC	1997		134	-		X
IPC titles subbing day	_IPC	1995		90	-		X
IPC titles subbing day	_IPC	1995		105	-
IPC titles subbing day	_IPC	1995		80	-
Macmillan magazine day	_EMAP	1997		129.36	-
MacMillan magazine subbing day	_EMAP	1996		136	-
Miller Freeman mag reporting day	_MF	1996		115	-
Morgan-Grampian subbing day	_MG	1992		104	-
Reed Business Information Section editor day	_RBI	1999		142	-
Timothy Benn Publishing day	_IncisiM	1999		120	-
VNU titles subbing day	_VNU	1995		120	-
VNU titles subbing day	_VNU	1995		100	-
The above are the rates for Shifts / mags ARCHIVED on 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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