Ad featuring curvy model in Jang and Express upsets readers

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 20 December 2015 |  JP Staff Report

A recent advertisement featuring a curvy model on the front page of Jang and Daily Express has triggered public backlash. Critics argue that it undermines journalistic integrity and prioritizes revenue over responsible reporting.

Summary

ISLAMABAD – In the relentless pursuit of advertising revenue, newspaper managements are increasingly willing to compromise editorial standards. While unusual layouts and masthead adjustments have been seen before, a recent front-page advertisement in Jang and Daily Express has sparked widespread criticism.

The ad in question, featured on Sunday’s editions, promotes a mobile phone using a large cut-out image of a curvy model — dominating the front page in a manner more befitting a fashion magazine than a serious newspaper. The provocative display, described by critics as "absurd" and "cheap," has raised serious concerns about editorial judgment.

Veteran journalist Ansar Abbasi, associated with The News, a sister publication of Jang, publicly condemned the placement. “My strong protest to top Jang Group management for this absurd front page ad in today’s Jang,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Readers, too, voiced their displeasure. One remarked, “The ad was just plain cheap — you have to read around her curves.” Another commented sarcastically on the way the text wrapped around the model’s body, calling it “funny but disgraceful.”

This isn’t the first time Jang has drawn criticism for its front-page choices. In November, the paper published a graphic image of a rape and murder victim on its front page, sparking public outrage.

The episode underscores a growing tension in Pakistani media between revenue generation and responsible journalism — a balance increasingly difficult to maintain.