stringer rates

I got $45 per story from the suburban daily I strung for over the summer.

 

Local metros (100k x2, 200ish?k): 65-80, depending on who the stringer is.

Local AP: $100 for minor league baseball

the WWL: Good money if you know people

 

You should be reporting all your income, even all those small pieces that fall below the 1099 threshhold. That's what Quicken is for---to keep track of all that stuff for you.

 

OK, so how about payment for a nice profile story that takes time for the interviews, development and writing?

You're going to take $50 or $75 for a story that might have taken you a full day or two of calls, visits? Or would you expect $150 or so for a 20- or 25-inch feature?

You time investment and your experience should be compensated in some cases. It's not just about typing words on a keyboard or a few graphs from the Podunk-Slapout hoops game.

 

For a major metro, I cleared $175 for a 30 inch feature.

For another metro, I just banked $250 for gamer, notes, info box and an off day story.

 

True. I generally charge more for a feature than a routine gamer.

 

I made $125 for a lenghty, well-researched article for a small niche publication. For a local magazine, I make $300 for stories that don't take near as long and aren't near as much work. The first story was a better piece of journalism, but the second type sure do pay the bills.

 

Just fyi... do you realize that if you're making $50 or less for a game-day story, you could probably make just as much money - if not more - babysitting for a night?

A competent journalist should make more per gig than a 7th grader, no?

 

you make a good point, but I'd ratther get paid to watch a ballgame than some snot-nosed little brat screaming all night!