Fear & Loading: Couric's Distorted Documentary

When Katie Couric asked gun-rights activists how we could stop terrorists and convicted felons from buying firearms if there were no background checks, their answer was immediate, according to audiotape they recorded. But, when her documentary, “Under the Gun,” was aired, a lengthy pregnant pause of nine seconds mysteriously appeared between her question and their response, misleading viewers to believe they were struggling to find an answer.

The controversy is all over the Internet, and rather than regurgitate the entire debate, here’s a link from Fox News. There are many plausible reasons for this happening, including a college intern working on the segment that had his dog eat the missing audio. Here are a few more explanations just about as believable.

1. The network purchased its audio recording devices surplus from the Nixon administration, so missing words and conversations are routine.
2. What silence? You guys and gals must be deaf if you can’t hear the chirping crickets we dubbed in.   
3. Couric’s contract specifies her close-up seconds, and we were behind schedule.
4. The documentary was nine seconds short, and it was either add a pregnant pause or another Dancing with the Stars
5. Hackers, from China, and they took vegan Friday of our cafeteria menu, too.
6. The bargain basement videotape stretched.
7. Someone fed gremlins after midnight, then showed them to the showers.