PBS’s ombudsman Michael Getler used his Jan. 13 column to question why PBS doesn’t run news on the weekends.

Getler noted that PBS fans have to wait until Monday to get PBS news on any stories from the weekend — like last weekend’s shootings in Arizona.

“If you are a devoted follower of the news and of PBS, when horrific stories such as the one that unfolded in Tucson last Saturday, Jan. 8, you must go to the big three broadcast networks or cable for coverage. The PBS NewsHour will get around to it on Monday evening,” he wrote.

Getler went on to criticize any reasons for not running news on the weekends. He stated:

“There are no doubt impressive-sounding reasons, financial or otherwise, why there is no PBS NewsHour, or something similar, on Saturday and Sunday evenings. But it has always seemed to me like an abdication of duty that also has the side effect of sending regular PBS viewers to other networks. “

Hat Tip: Romenesko