PBS ombudsman ponders lack of weekend breaking news on the network

In the wake of the Tucson shootings on Jan. 8, PBS Ombudsman Michael Getler is wondering why PBS doesn’t have some way to bring breaking news to its viewers on weekends. “There are no doubt impressive-sounding reasons, financial or otherwise, why there is no PBS NewsHour, or something similar, on Saturday and Sunday evenings,” he writes in his latest Mailbag. “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.” Also in the mailbag this week: Why didn’t PBS carry the Tucson memorial service? (Stations had that option, PBS responds). Also, complaints about two men kissing on Masterpiece’s “Downton Abbey” (more on the history of that kiss here).