UK e-payments vendor earthport is to provide mediaPay, its online payments system, to users of Internet news service citywebwatch.com.
The payments system enables users to purchase media content item by item in 'micro-payments' as well as by traditional card-based methods.
The company says the system, designed specifically for the media industry, allows content providers to identify any revenues earned and manage royalty and licence payments.
Using earthport's universal payment network (UPN), mediaPay will also allow citywebwatch customers to access content through new delivery channels, including interactive TV, PDAs and 3G phones.
Charles Jack, director and co-founder of citywebwatch, says: "Our customers expect to pay for quality content and earthport's mediaPay system offers enormous flexibility in payment methods and micro-payments."
Earthport says it has signed a three year agreement with citywebwatch and its mediaPay service is expected to come online in December 2002.