Having erected online paywalls for The Times and The Sunday Times, News International has added payment mechanism PayPal for online subscription payments.

The paywalls were added to help monetise the online content provided across news, features and music for the News International titles, which was followed months later by another paywall being introduced for sister tabloid title The News of the World.

The addition of PayPal, says News International, creates a faster check out area for online content and also offers a ‘more cost-effective way’ to send and receive smaller payments for online content providers.

Carl Scheible, PayPal’s UK managing director, commented: “PayPal is well placed to help media owners solve their most pressing challenge: finding the quickest and easiest way for customers to pay for online content. News International has blazed a trail for media owners everywhere by showing that people are willing to pay for online content. We’re pleased to be able to share our experience to help NI further grow its online customer base.

“At PayPal, our focus is on providing a single, global payment system with the flexibility that media companies need to monetise their content in the best way for their users and their businesses. Rupert Murdoch recently said the media industry was entering a digital renaissance. We agree, and we’re here to help make it happen,” he added.

PayPal has over 14 million active accounts in the UK and nearly 98 million globally.