Journalism Division

The Journalism Division includes freelance journalists of all types; from stringers to feature writers to editors; for both print and the web. Freelancers in the digital age have seen their rates plummet. In the early days of writing for the web, writers bought the argument that readers demanded their content for free and the platforms were having trouble monetizing it. This is no longer the case. The revenue streams for digital content have grown over the last fifteen years while the rates that writers earn have mostly stagnated. A generation of writers have come of age believing that their writing is worth ten cents, five cents a word – many have even agreed for years to write for free in exchange for “exposure.” Our mission is to bring together freelance writers so that we can marshal our collective knowledge and financial resources to challenge this status quo. We need to research and define new standards for freelance journalism in the digital age and to promote and enforce those standards among our peers. We can have an impact, but we need you to join us. Our dues can help fund larger national initiatives to raise standards, but more importantly our members’ knowledge can help us map out the strategy and tactics it will take to win. Join the NWU Journalism Division today and get involved!

There are links on the right-hand side of this page for joining our Journalism Division Email List and for purchasing IFJ and NWU Press Passes. 

Freelancer Agreements

NWU has written agreements with a number of publications that detail standards and procedures for their freelance writers. For more information on these agreements follow the links below: 

The Nation

In These Times

Jacobin Magazine

Latest Division News

NWU and SFWA comments to the US Copyright Office on “Mass Digitization”

The NWU and our fellow writers of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. (SFWA) have filed joint comments with the US Copyright Office in response to a public inquiry concerning the possibility of a “pilot program” for mass digitization of written work through the legal device of “extended collective licensing” (ECL) and […]

Greetings from the International Federation of Journalists

Please let me convey the warmest greetings to the delegates at your 2015 assembly on behalf of the IFJ Executive Committee and our unions of journalists worldwide. We wish all of you a strong and fruitful conference. We are all very proud of the efforts made by the NWU to advance the professional and social […]

Netroots Nation

Over nearly a decade, Netroots Nation has grown to become a powerful force in promoting the Democratic Party. It serves as a platform for community activists, labor organizations, and even presidential candidates. With a reputation for compelling content and boisterous voices, Netroots 2015 descended on the Phoenix Convention Center in Arizona’s capital city last month, […]