Web ads spice up online biz section

Muhammed El-Hasan, a business reporter for the Daily Breeze in Torrance, Calif., writes about the racy online ads that now appear next to his stories on the paper’s Web site.

El-Hasan writes, “When you go to one of the business stories or business blog posts on our Web site, at least nine out of 10 times you will see an advertisement for a certain local gentlemen’s club.

“That means any piece I write, edit, assign or otherwise plunk into our Web site helps promote naked, dancing women. (Do my proud parents know what their son has been up to?)

“As a journalist, I am supposed to be ‘blind’ to those who buy ads with us.

“That lets me honestly claim that the Business section adheres to journalistic standards that do not skew in favor of the highest bidder (read: advertiser).

“But I cannot help noticing this strip club ad, in part because it is unsurprisingly provocative. The promotion includes a woman with a big, open smile and, well, other stuff.

“Combining a racy ad with business articles, columns and blog posts may strike some as odd since the topic of business usually is not considered sexy.”

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