Halifax's The Coast weekly is causing a bit of a stir this week, because the name of the band featured on the cover includes an offensive word.

This week, arts editor Stephanie Johns chose a Polaris-prize winning band to feature on the front page.Arts editor Stephanie Johns said she discussed the cover with editor Kyle Shaw and both agreed it was OK to publish. CBC

The Toronto-based punk group F--ked Up is headlining at the Pop Explosion music festival on Saturday night.

Every week almost 65,000 Haligonians pick up The Coast, an alternative free weekly newspaper.

Johns said she discussed the matter with her editor before the paper went to print.

"I asked Kyle [Shaw], 'Do you think this is going to be a problem?' He said 'No.' I didn't think it was going to be, he didn't think it was going to be," Johns told CBC News. "So far it hasn't."

They decided the band was important, not their name.

"It's their proper name and I don't think that it's our place to censor that necessarily," she said.

Inside, The Coast features a story about the musical group.

The band's name has appeared on the cover of two similar entertainment newspapers in Canada, including a national publication.

The Coast's cover design, by local artist Mike Holmes, certainly catches the eye.

"Some people might be offended by it but personally it doesn't bother me a whole lot. I think it's a cool picture. I think it's a cool idea," said reader Stephanie Anderson.

Other readers don't like it.The cover of The Coast this week features a band with an offensive word in its name. CBC

"I'm in shock, really. I can't believe it. Because I have a six year old and eight year old that would look at it too," said Kelly Fesht.

"We look at The Coast. When it's out there at Second Cup they come with me. They would see that and say, in front of everyone, 'Mom, there 's the F word.'"

Then Fesht learned it's the name of a band.

"Couldn't they just put it inside? It's just the fact that it's the front cover," Fesht said.