Strictly speaking, they were right the first time. Tapes, audio or video, are supposed to be x-rayed. There's actually language in the SOP that requires them to be x-rayed.

And, strictly speaking, if you refuse to have them x-rayed, your only option is to turn around and take them back with you.

The person in the first story likely agreed to your request for a hand check just to shut you up, and the person in the second likely didn't know any better.

Granted, there is a list of things that you can request to have hand-inspected. Still camera film, medications, x-rays (like, the medical kind). And of course, there are some things that have to be hand-inspected, such as... a fish in a bowl of water.