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Freelance journalism rates have barely changed since 2020—now that’s scary! For The Objective @objectivejournalism, Elen
Press OnOctober 23, 2026

Freelance journalism rates have barely changed since 2020—now that’s scary!

For The Objective @objectivejournalism, Elena Novak and Jen Byers of @thenationalwriterunion’s Freelance Solidarity Project write about their findings after reviewing data from their organization’s Rate Sharing Database: accounting for inflation, freelance journalists are making less now than they did in the year 2000. Freelancers earning low wages are part of a systemic problem, not an individual one, and joining together to organize is one of the best ways to solve it. Read the story at bit.ly/scaryjournostat. [Image description: Graphic decorated with bats that says, “A scary journalism statistic! Rates for freelance journalists have barely changed since 2020, according to the National Writers Union’s Freelance Solidarity Project. Freelancers reported earning $1/word on average. Read more about these horrors on The Objective at bit.ly/scaryjournostat.”]
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