Internet surfers could be in line for better news content following a decision by online marketer PRWeb to put an end to issuing free press releases.

Although the company claims to have pioneered the service since 1997, it argues free releases have since been "drowned out by increasing noise in the media".

It is now to charge its customers at least $40 (£20) to issue releases.

The company claimed: "The quality of content of many free releases diminishes the resources we need to continue our pace of innovation and scope of our customer support."

Internet marketing consultants Receptional, who use PRWeb to generate media interest for clients, added: "Eliminating the free release is a good thing."

Managing director Dixon Jones said: "We can now concentrate on quality over quantity and the result for surfers should be better content in news related searches."

Receptional aims to increase traffic to its client's websites by creating online marketing strategies.