SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Ratings Stay on Track with Miley Cyrus

In Late-Night Metered-Market Household Averages for Saturday night:

Despite a 27-minute delay in its start time due to a football overrun, "Saturday Night Live," with host and musical guest Miley Cyrus (4.5/13 in metered-market households from midnight-1:30 a.m. ET [actual start time was 11:57 p.m. ET], 2.7/14 in adults 18-49 in the Local People Meters)has equaled the show's top 18-49 rating (2.7) in the Local People Meters since April 13 (with host Vince Vaughn and musical guest Miguel). The 2.7 ties both last week's season premiere (with host Tina Fey and musical guest Arcade Fire) and the show's May 18 season finale (with host Ben Affleck and musical guest Kanye West). The 4.5 in metered-market households is within 4% of last week's season-premiere 4.7 despite this week's 27-minute delay.

Versus the same night last year, "Saturday Night Live" is up 23% in 18-49 ratings in the Local People Meters (2.7 vs. 2.2 on October 6, 2012) and is matching the year-ago 4.5 rating in metered-market households, despite the 27-minute delay in this year's start time.

"Saturday Night Live" ranks as the #1 telecast of the night on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in 18-49 rating in the Local People Meters, outscoring all Primetime programs on those networks.

National ratings, including viewer totals, for last night's "Saturday Night Live" are due from Nielsen on Thursday, October 10.

Saturday Primetime Results:
Keep in mind that the fast-affiliate Nielsens that came in at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT are not time zone-adjusted and are subject to revision for live sports telecasts.

In metered-market results, which are time zone-adjusted, NBC Sports' coverage of Notre Dame-Arizona State College Football from Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tex., earned NBC's highest Saturday Primetime average in three months in metered-market households. NBC's 2.4/4 average from 8-11 p.m. ET in that category is the network's highest for a Saturday since coverage of the Stanley Cup Finals earned a 3.9/8 on June 22.

In time zone-adjusted metered-market households, the Notre Dame-Arizona State game is up 4% Versus last year's comparable "Shamrock Series" off-site Notre Dame home game (2.5 rating in metered-market households from 7:30-11:30 p.m. vs. last year's 2.4 for Miami-Notre Dame) and is the top-rated "Shamrock Series" game since the event commenced in 2009.

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