NUJ Rate for the Job:
Shifts / news

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 / news Writing and editing work for 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. The 'extras' column is irrelevant for subbing shifts.) These are archived rates - see current rates.
Tell us what you've been paid for Shifts / news		Freelance Fees Guide
Publication / Programme - details & terms	Group	Year		Basic fee	Extras	GR	XXXX
Daily Express subbing day	_UM	1997		100	-		X
Daily Mail sports desk shift	_Assoc	2002		100			X
Daily Mail subbing day	_Assoc	2002		100			XX
Daily Mail reporting day	_Assoc	1996		250	-
Daily Mail subbing day	_Assoc	1995		93	-
Daily Mail subbing day	_Assoc	1993		95	-
Daily Mail subbing day	_Assoc	1993		93	-
Daily Mail subbing 6h	_Assoc	1992		96	-
Daily Mail subbing 8h shift	_Assoc	1992		120	-
Daily Mirror subbing day	_TMG	2002		80			XXX
Daily Telegraph subbing day	_Holl	2002		125
Daily Telegraph City pages	_Holl	1997		85	-		X
Electronic Telegraph training shift	_Holl	2003		25			XXXX
Electronic Telegraph features subbing shift	_Holl	2003		100			XX
Evening Standard Features subbing 8 hrs	_Assoc	2002		130
Evening Standard news reporting	_Assoc	1995		85	-		X
Evening Standard subbing day	_Assoc	1995		90	-
Evening Standard subbing day (trying it on)	_Assoc	1995		80	-		XX
Evening Standard subbing 7am-4pm	_Assoc	1994		110	-
Evening Standard Hot Tickets subbing day	_Assoc	1998		110	-
Financial Times subbing day	_Pearson	1995		100	-
FT.com subbing day	_Pearson	2001		130
Guardian web subbing day	_GMG	2011		130.92			X
Guardian subbing Saturday	_GMG	2010		170			O
Guardian subbing day	_GMG	2009		174.99		GR
Guardian print/online 'pod' 7-hour subbing shift (ecluding hour for lunch) inludes uploading material to website plus holiday pay	_GMG	2009		174.99
Guardian 8hr Saturday reporting shift	_GMG	2008		160.40
Guardian subbing day	_GMG	2007		160.40		GR
Guardian subbing day, "OK, but under threat"	_GMG	2007		160.40
Guardian Guide subbing day	_GMG	2006		137.50			X
Guardian subbing day - 2006 agreement rate	_GMG	2006		155		HA
Guardian subbing day	_GMG	2006		152
Guardian reporting day	_GMG	2006		155.73		GR
Guardian day rate minimum	_GMG	2001		138.85		HA
Guardian per day interviewing film stars	_GMG	2000		100	-		X
Guardian editorial	_GMG	1999		125	-
Guardian 4.5 hours per week, per year	_GMG	1999		4475	-
Guardian reporting day	_GMG	1998		150	-
Guardian	_GMG	1998		117	-
Guardian (reporting?)	_GMG	1997		300	-
Guardian subbing day	_GMG	1995		139	-
Guardian Education Supplement, subbing day	_GMG	1994		112	-
Guardian subbing day	_GMG	1994		110	-
Guardian subbing day	_GMG	1994		118	-
Guardian subbing day	_GMG	1993		120	-
Guardian subbing day (from April 1)	_GMG	1993		106.43	-
Independent on Sunday Reporting shift on Millennium News Years Eve evening - having been promised 'we'll take care of you'	_INM	2000		120			XXXX
Independent on Sunday subbing the Review mag	_INM	1994		150	-
Independent on Sunday research day	_INM	1994		125	-
Independent subbing day	_INM	2006		110			XX
Independent 6.5 hours sports subbing	_INM	2002		100			X
Independent 8 hours' news subbing incl hour for lunch	_INM	2002		110			X
Independent sports desk shift	_INM	2002		100			O
Independent subbing home and foreign news, 8hrs	_INM	2002		110			X
Independent subbing 6.5 hours	_INM	2002		105			X
Independent reporting day	_INM	1999		100	-		X
Independent Subbing day	_INM	1998		93.24	-		X
Independent subbing day	_INM	1996		125	-
Independent news day	_INM	1995		94.25	-
Independent subbing day	_INM	1994		93.62	-
Independent magazines layout per page?!	_INM	1998		35	-		?
Mail on Sunday	_Assoc	2000		120	-
Mail on Sunday	_Assoc	1999		120	-
Mail on Sunday subbing day	_Assoc	1999		120	-		X
Mail on Sunday 8 hours	_Assoc	1998		118	-
Mail on Sunday subbing day	_Assoc	1996		140	-
Mail on Sunday subbing 6h	_Assoc	1992		135	-
News Letter (Belfast) subbing day		1992		45	-
News of the World reporting Saturday Manchester	_NI	1998		110	-
News of the World reporting Saturday double shift	_NI	1998		278	-
News of the World 5-days unwritten 'contract'	_NI	1998		500	-
News of the World reporting Saturday (taxed at source, emergency rate)	_NI	1998		139	-
News of the World reporting week day	_NI	1998		123	-
News of the World subbing 6am-7pm	_NI	1997		225	-		X
News of the World subbing 8hr shift	_NI	1994		130	-
Observer sport subbing 'trainee' 5.5hrs	_GMG	1999		65	-
Observer subbing news (6h)	_GMG	1995		120	-
Sun features, 6hr shift	_NI	1994		95	-
Sun news, 8hr shift	_NI	1994		93.50	-
Sunday Mirror (Sat) reporting	_TMG	1992		100	-
Sunday Telegraph subbing	_Holl	1997		100	-		X
Sunday Telegraph subbing/news	_Holl	1996		120	-
Sunday Times news day	_NI	2000		120	-
Sunday Times (Saturday shift) 8h (taxed at source)	_NI	1992		138.24	-
Times subbing day	_NI	1993		85	-
Times (taxed at source)	_NI	1992		104.50	-
Times Weekend Subbing day	_NI	1998		120	-
Today features, 5hr shift		1994		80	-
Agence France-Presse subbing day		1999		80	-		X
BBC Ceefax TV Centre subbing shift, per hour, taxi for nights	_BBC	2002		14			X
BBC Ceefax BBC London subbing shift, per hour, taxi for nights	_BBC	2002		12			X
BBC Ceefax subbing per hour - no change since 1997	_BBC	2002		14
BBC Ceefax subbing per hour	_BBC	2002		14
BBC Ceefax subbing @ TV centre, per hour	_BBC	2002		14			X
BBC Ceefax subbing @ BBC London, per hour	_BBC	2002		12			X
BBC News Online online and Ceefax reporting/editing shift	_BBC	2006		130
BBC News Online writing and editing news web pages, 8-hour shift	_BBC	2002		125
Guardian Unlimited website subbing day - note newspaper pays £160.40	_GMG	2007		145			X
INS News Agency reporting day		1998		50	-		XX
Mediaguardian.co.uk day subbing Media Guardian website	_GMG	2007		138.18		GR
National News agency double shift!		1992		80	-		XXX
National News agency reporting day		1992		40	-		XXX
News Ltd (Australia) subbing day	_NI	1996		100	-		X
Press Association subbing day	_PA	1995		89.60	-
Teletext 4 hours over Jubilee - day rate	_Assoc	2002		100
Teletext subbing 8hrs	_Assoc	2002		110
Times Supplement subbing day	_NI	1993		103.10	-
UPI wires subbing day		1993		65	-		XX
The above are the rates for Shifts / news 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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