However, ION Life — a specialty digital network “dedicated to promoting active lifestyles and wellness” available on ION Television affiliates as a digital subchannel — does appear to be regularly airing the series, at least this month. Again, based on TV Guide listings, it appears the series is being shown in blocks from 6-11PM on Saturdays and Sundays (although on Sunday, June 19th it only airs from 6-8:30PM).

ION Life can also be found on certain cable systems. Check your local listings to see if you receive ION Life. I know I don’t. Why exactly M*A*S*H is being shown on a network focused on health and wellness is a good question.

With M*A*S*H “resting” at The Hallmark Channel and more or less removed from Ion Television, that means only TV Land is still airing the series on a regular basis. Beginning later this month, it will be aired from 4-6AM Tuesday through Saturday morning and from 8-10PM on Saturday. The series also airs locally in some parts of the country.

M*A*S*H continues to air on broadcast network Ion Television and cable channel TV Land, although as of September Ion Television will only air M*A*S*H on Saturday afternoons when it is not airing a movie. As for TV Land, starting in September it will air M*A*S*H from 4-6AM on weekday mornings and 8-10PM on Sunday evenings.

There has been a schedule change and the program “M*A*S*H” is no longer part of our lineup. This program’s run on the network has ended. Thank you for contacting ION Media Networks.

On January 13th of this year, however, Sitcoms Online reported that the very first episode of M*A*S*H would air on Saturday, March 6th at 3PM. Then, on February 9th, Sitcoms Online revealed that M*A*S*H would run from 3-4PM on Saturdays. Today from Sitcoms Online comes the news that M*A*S*H will also air Monday through Friday from 4-5PM, replacing Texas Justice, starting February 22nd.

According to television listings at TVGuide.com, M*A*S*H will actually return on Saturday, February 20th at 3PM with the pilot, followed by the second episode at 3:30PM. It will also be seen on Sunday, February 21st from 3-5PM with the next four episodes from the first season, followed by the next two episodes on Monday, February 22nd from 4-5PM. Here’s what the regular weekly schedule looks like at the moment:

Saturdays: 3-4PM (Beginning February 20th)
Sundays: 3-5PM (Beginning February 21st)
Mon-Fri: 4-5PM (Beginning February 22nd)

TVGuide.com’s listings only run through Monday, March 1st; for the next two weeks, at least, this schedule holds true. I don’t receive ION so I won’t be able to confirm that the series is airing, however.

Edit: As I was writing this post, Gavin e-mailed me the following:

This past Saturday, my PVR recorded M*A*S*H from ION. Yay! I googled a bit, and it turns out, M*A*S*H is now back on Ion twice a day Monday through Saturday, starting 22 February.

So Gavin’s PVR adds more confirmation to the return of M*A*S*H on ION. But will the return be Saturday, February 20th or Monday, February 22nd?

I e-mailed ION and received the following reply:

There has been a schedule change and the program “M*A*S*H” is no longer part of our lineup. This program’s run on the network has ended. Thank you for contacting ION Media Networks.

As for Hallmark Channel, Sitcoms Online reported on September 21st that the weekday block of M*A*S*H (from 5-8PM) would be replaced by I Love Lucy, also beginning Monday, October 5th. Well, today is October 5th and M*A*S*H is gone from both Hallmark Channel and ION. It still airs on TV Land from 5-6AM on Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri, 9PM to 12AM on Wednesdays and 8-11PM on Saturdays (at least that’s the schedule for the next two weeks).

I sent Hallmark Channel an e-mail as well but have not received a reply. It is possible M*A*S*H will return in the future. And there’s always the complete series on DVD.