Home Shopping Network For Guns Delayed Until 2016
The launch of a new home shopping television network dedicated to selling guns has been delayed until 2016.
According to The Guardian, “Gun TV” will now be launching on Wednesday, Jan. 20 in the United States. The channel was originally meant to air its first broadcast between Thanksgiving and Christmas 2015 — so as to take advantage of the holiday shopping season.
Valerie Castle, one of Gun TV’s co-founders, wouldn’t get into the details of the delay. However, she did stress that the channel would be “filling a need” instead of “creating one.”
“The vast majority of people who own and use guns in this country, whether it’s home protection, recreation or hunting, are responsible,” she said. “I don’t really know that it’s going to put more guns on the streets.”
Per state and federal regulations, Gun TV will not be able to ship ordered goods directly to buyers. The channel will instead employ a gun wholesaler to ship goods to the nearest federally licensed gun seller, where required background checks and paperwork can be completed.
At first, the channel will only air between 1 and 7 a.m. ET seven days a week. However, Castle said that the initial goal is to increase broadcasts to 12 hours a day, then 24 hours.
“Our broadcast setting is going to demonstrate the products and we’re going to tell the backstory on the manufacturer, on the materials used to make these products, what kind of wood has gone into the making of the rifle, for example, how it feels to hold it.”
Gun TV’s studio is based in California, where the guns on sale can be demonstrated by experts and guests during segments. However, state law prevents them from being fired on set, so stock footage of specific weapons in action will have to suffice.
Obviously, not everyone thinks the firearms version of the Home Shopping Network is a good idea. Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence senior staff attorney Laura Cutilletta disagrees, noting: “So many people are killed by guns every day in the US; we need to think long and hard about this. My gut reaction is that it’s the last thing we need.”
[h/t The Guardian]
[Image via Shutterstock.com]
