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Tuesday, Jan 22, 2013 2:15 PM UTC

NRA to ramp up gun messaging on cable TV

The gun advocacy group has responded to Obama's proposals

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Topics: NRA, Gun Control, Guns, barack obamac, cable tv,

NRA to ramp up gun messaging on cable TV (Credit: AP)

The National Rifle Association has responded to the president’s expansive proposals for gun control by increasing its own pro-gun messaging on cable TV. Reuters reports that the organization, which produces or sponsors six cable TV shows, aims to increase its reach to more than 30 million homes, a demographic dominated by men aged 25-54.

Cam Edwards, host of the Sportsman Channel’s “Cam & Company” maintains that he is “not a spokesman for the NRA,” he recently said on his show that “Assault weapon is a made-up name for a gun I can ban” and also read the NRA’s response to Obama’s expansive proposals: “Attacking firearms and ignoring children is not a solution to the crisis we face as a nation. Only honest, law-abiding gun owners will be affected and our children will remain vulnerable to the inevitability of more tragedy.”

Reuters reports on the programs:

Edwards, whose show is produced by NRA News, is one of the cable TV personalities the NRA hopes will promote the right of Americans to bear arms. That effort might become more important if public and political sentiments harden in favor of gun control in the wake of the Newtown shootings that claimed 26 lives.

Another Program, Outdoor Channel’s “Friends of the NRA,” is hosted by former baseball player Matt Duff and champion shooter Jessie Harrison Duff and is an offshoot of the group that raised more than $200 million for national and local programs “that ensures the availability of quality training and educational opportunities,” the group says on its site.

Former cable TV executiveLarry Gerbrandt told Reuters that the NRA is “consolidating their base.” ”It’s a lot easier to get your message across with video than it was a printed pamphlet,” he said.

Prachi Gupta is an Assistant News Editor for Salon, focusing on pop culture. Follow her on Twitter at @prachigu or email her at pgupta@salon.com. More Prachi Gupta.

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