According to
Around The Lens sources close to the New York Times have confirmed that the paper will begin paying freelance photographers a day rate of $450, more the double the $200 they’re currently paying. For shorter shoots, or those that don’t meet the full day-rate requirement, the rate will be $300, still more than the previous full day rate.
While this is good news for those lucky enough to get assignments from the NY Times, it probably will have little impact on rates paid by other editorial publications.
According to the American Society of Newspaper Editors (
ASNE) annual census In 2000 there were 6,214 photographers, artists and videographers employed at U.S. newspapers. In 2016, after steady declines, there were only 2,806. The number is still declining.
There is an increasing number of people who want to work as photographers and a continuing decline in jobs available. Given the decline in print advertising print publications have gotten thinner leaving less space for photos. While there is an increasing demand for pictures and video that can be used on the Internet, for the most part the rates paid for such usage are a fraction of what is paid for print usage.