KSHB-TV and its multimedia journalist Alicia Myers are being blasted on the station’s Facebook Page for a reported inaccuracy in her story about a Kansas City gun show where she reportedly talked about a “Gun Show Loophole.”
Myers’s story is on the KSHB site, but has been changed with no mention of the error.
Several commenters on Facebook echoed comments similar to those posted by Steve Moore:
Your ” reporter ,” Elisha Meyers (Alicia Myers), told blatant lies on the piece about guns . There is no such thing as a ” Gun show loophole. ” EVERY dealer has to do a NICS check and get a “proceed ” from the feds before ANYONE can buy a gun at a gun show . That’s the LAW, and that’s the way it is.
I realize this is not a ” story ” according to the media, but please, STOP SPREADING LIES ! It makes you look stupid as a reporter and as a news agency period. If you don’t have a clue on what you are reporting, then by all means, do a story on Justin Bieber, because nobody cares if you just make stuff up about him to talk about . When you flat out LIE to the public you lose all credibility.
KSHB’s Executive Producer Stephanie Backus apologized for the error.
Steve, Thank you for your comments. We apologize for this inaccuracy in the show. We do know that the gun show this weekend was doing background checks and that any federal firearms dealer has to do a background check on a consumer before he/she is allowed to purchase the gun. We appreciate your attention to the statements made on air. ~Stephanie, Executive Producer-New Media
THERE IS A “GUN SHOW” LOOPHOLE
I am a staunch supporter of gun rights.
This complaint is inaccurate. There is a gun show loophole. I think that Myers just described it inaccurately.
The commenter is talking about regulations placed on dealers and not the lack of background checks for those who purchase guns at gun shows.
Attacking the “gun show loophole” is a rhetorical play on words and a trick used by the NRA.
I’m a member of the NRA and while I support gun rights and my 2nd Amendment freedom, I don’t want to get down in the dirt and play with language the same way that Bill Clinton does.
There is a so-called “gun show” loophole and it should stay open. But taking out anger on a reporter for what is an obvious mistake with no malice just makes gun advocates look bad.
We can calmly win this debate like professionals. No need for smear tactics from the commenter.
KSHB’S CORRECTED STORY
I just had a story I wrote appear in print in The Gardner News and it contained an error because the paper used the version of the story that was inadvertently sent to it. I pointed this out to the paper and even took some of the blame for the error (although I had asked the paper to return the story well in advance of the targeted publication date) since I was the one responsible for the premature release of the story. I don’t imagine that the paper will be running a correction in print later this week, but the paper was more than willing to run the correct version of the story online and has now done so. I mention this because it’s very disturbing to hear that KSHB simply covered over its error online, and then there is the additional “sin” of refusing to comment on the matter when confronted by an outside party. Moving right along, hey, does anyone out there know where I can get a good AK-47 real cheap just in case the revenue agents show up and try to shut down my still? Just curious (and occasionally mentally unstable).
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON LOOPHOLE
To build upon JoBu’s comments:
Those possessing a Federal Firearms License (FFL) are dealers in the business of selling rifles and pistols. Federal law requires them to run a background check, regardless of location of that sale.
Individuals, however, can legally sell their personal firearms to other individuals in a ‘citizen to citizen’ private sale, regardless of location of that sale. No background check required.
That is what’s known as the ‘loophole.’