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If you want to be technical, STR were doing it four years when they brought in Repsol-backed Alguersuari. And though not technically pay drivers, Red Bull have been predominantly backing young drivers that are marketable in addition to simply being talented (ie second generation drivers, big market nationalities, female drivers, etc.). They have previously given an STR seat to a driver because of his nationality: the nation with the world's largest energy drink market (Scott Speed).
That being said, STR/RB Junior Program haven't deviated much from their original purpose and are singularly devoted to developing drivers for RBR, and they are still quite ruthless in doing so. No matter your backing, who your father is, or what nation you are from, you will be dropped if you under-perform and are deemed to have exited RB's future plans. The fact that Kvyat has other backing is almost coincidental for RB.
There's not much anyone can do to change the status quo. In the 90s, most of the upper midfield teams had sizable tabacco sponsorship that subsidized their programs. In the 00s, most teams had manufacturer backing/support, so pay drivers were restricted almost exclusively to the minnows. But now, tobacco sponsorship is a thing of the past, the manufacturers are mostly gone and the world's economy is recovering from financial turmoil. For teams like Williams, Lotus, and Sauber, it's almost unavoidable that they will turn to pay drivers. Luckily, the quality of the pay drivers that are coming in are stronger than they used to be. The pay drivers that are coming in now are winning championships, becoming vice-champions, or at least winning races, in lower formula. We haven't seen a new true no hoper in quite a while now.
An example?
I'd like to think that teams are more ambitious than that. A young GP2 runner-up probably possesses a higher ceiling to develop into than a mediocre veteran like a Heikki or a Glock.
