SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Hits No. 1; Draws Third Best Ratings This Season

"Saturday Night Live," with host with host Melissa McCarthy and musical guest Imagine Dragons, averaged a 5.4/13 in household results in Nielsen's 56 metered markets and a 2.9/12 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with Local People Meters, making it the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and 18-49 rating in the Local People Meters.

"Saturday Night Live" earned its third-best results of the season in both metered-market households and 18-49 rating in the Local People Meters, trailing only the Dec. 21 edition hosted by Jimmy Fallon with musical guest Justin Timberlake (6.4/16 in metered-market households, 3.9/18 in 18-49 in the LPMs) and the Jan. 4 "SNL Best of This Season" telecast (5.6/14 in metered-market households, 3.0/12 in 18-49 in the LPMs), which benefited from an NFL lead-in.

Versus the top Primetime programs on the Big 4 networks last night, "SNL" was rated 35% higher in metered-market households than the #2 telecast (5.4 vs. 4.0 for CBS's "48 Hours"). In adults 18-49 in the Local People Meters, "SNL" generated two-and-a-half times the night's #2 telecast on ABC, CBS, NBC or FOX (2.9 vs. 1.1 for the 10 p.m. "SNL" encore).

Saturday Primetime Results: NBC ranked #1 among the Big 4 networks in 18-49 Saturday night as:

The 8-10 p.m. Jimmy Fallon encore special grabbed NBC's top non-sports rating in the time period in 16 months.
The 10 p.m. "SNL" encore delivered the best numbers yet among 31 "SNL" rebroadcasts to air in the slot so far this season and last.

NBC generated its biggest non-sports Saturday in 18-49 since Sept. 15, 2012 and biggest in total viewers, excluding sports, since Dec. 1, 2012.

An encore telecast of the NBC Special "Best of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Primetime Special" (0.9/3 in 18-49, 3.9 million viewers overall) earned NBC's best 18-49 rating in the slot, excluding sports since Sept. 15, 2012 ("Voice" encore) and biggest overall audience in the time period, excluding sports, since Dec. 1, 2012 ("It's a Wonderful Life"). In the time period, "Best of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Primetime Special" tied for #1 among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 18-49 and adults, men and women 18-34 and was #1 outright among those networks in total viewers, adults 25-54 and other key demos.

The "Late Night" encore special grew dramatically throughout its two hours, with this half-hour by half-hour 18-49 track: 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.3. From its first half-hour to its fourth, the special grew by 117% in 18-49 rating and 48% or 1.5 million persons in total viewers (to 4.6 million from 3.1 million).

A rebroadcast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Jonah Hill and musical guest Bastille (1.2/4 in 18-49, 3.8 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) delivered best-yet 18-49 and total-viewer results since these 10 p.m. rebroadcasts were initiated in December 2012, covering 17 encores last season and 14 so far this season. In the time period, the 10 p.m. "SNL" encore is #1 among ABC, CBS and NBC in adults, men and women 18-34; adults, men and women 18-49; and adults and men 25-54 versus original competition on ABC and CBS.

The 10 p.m. "SNL" rebroadcast is the #1 Primetime telecast on the Big 4 for the night in adults 18-49.

NOTE: All ratings are "live plus same day" from Nielsen Media Research unless otherwise indicated.

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