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[02/21/15 - 08:52 AM]
Encore Telecast of "SNL 40th Anniversary Special" Delivers NBC's Top-Rated Friday Night in Adults 18-49, Excluding Sports, Since October 25, 2013
NBC spins the numbers for Friday, February 20.

[via press release from NBC]

Friday Primetime Results:

· An encore telecast of "Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special" (1.5/5 in 18-49, 5.1 million viewers overall from 8-11 p.m. ET) delivered NBC's top-rated Friday night in adults 18-49, excluding sports, since Oct. 25, 2013 (1.6 with fall premieres of "Grimm" and "Dracula").

· In total viewers, it was NBC's most-watched Friday since Dec. 26, 2014 (5.3 million for "Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon" and "Dateline NBC").

· "Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special" ranked #2 for the night among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 and finished #1 among those nets in men 18-49 (with a 1.5 rating), men 18-34 (1.0) and men 25-54 (1.9), while tying for #1 among adults 18-34 (1.0)

· "Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special" ranked #1 among the Big 4 networks in adults 18-49 during the 8 p.m. ET hour, #2 from 9-10 and tied for #1 from 10-11.

NOTE: Primetime results are based on "fast affiliate time period" data from Nielsen Media Research. All ratings are "live plus same day" unless otherwise indicated.

Feb. 15 Telecast of "SNL 40" in "Live Plus Three Days":

· "Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special" has jumped to a 9.2 rating in adults 18-49 and 26.5 million viewers overall in "live plus three day" results from Nielsen Media Research.

· The 9.16 rating in adults 18-49 is a +17% increase over the show's 7.83 in next-day "live plus same day" Nielsens. The 26.5 million is a +14% jump versus the L+SD 23.1 million.

· Excluding Super Bowl nights, this is now NBC's top-rated primetime entertainment telecast in more than 10 years, since Thursday, Nov. 11, 2004 in adults 18-49 (9.4, "ER"). (In L+SD, this point went back eight years to May 18, 2006, 8.4 with the "Will & Grace" finale).

· Excluding Super Bowl nights, this is NBC's most-watched primetime entertainment telecast in more than 10 years, since Thursday, May 6, 2004 (28.4 million for "ER" on the night of the "Friends" series finale). (In L+SD, this point went back one week less, to May 13, 2004, 23.9 million with "ER" the night of the "Frasier" finale)

· It was the best "SNL" telecast in adults 18-49 in 14 years, since a Thursday, Feb. 8, 2001 primetime special (9.3 from 8:37-9 p.m. ET following a super-sized "Friends").

· In total viewers, "SNL 40" delivered the show's third-biggest audience in the history of people meters, behind 1989's "15th Anniversary" telecast (32.1 million on Sept. 24, 2989) and 1992's "Presidential Bash" (28.8 million on Nov. 1, 1992).

· Excluding Super Bowl nights and major award shows, this was the highest-rated entertainment telecast on the Big 4 nets in more than three years since a Monday, Sept. 9, 2011 episode of "Two and a Half Men" (featuring the addition of Ashton Kutcher's character) in adult 18-49 (12.1) and total viewers (32.1 million). (In L+SD, the 18-49 point went back four months less, to Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012, 7.9 from 10:57-11:57 p.m. ET for "American Idol" following a high-rated NFC Championship game).

Last Saturday's "SNL" Encore in L+SD

· Last weekend's special 11:30 encore of the original "Saturday Night Live" premiere from 1975 was the most-watched "SNL" rebroadcast, excluding night of NFL overruns, in six years, since February 2009.

· On Feb. 14, an encore telecast of the Oct. 11, 1975 series premiere of "Saturday Night Live," with host George Carlin and musical guests Janis Ian and Billy Preston, averaged a 1.48 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49 and 5.740 million viewers overall, making it the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in both adults 18-49 and total viewers, ahead of all primetime entertainment programs on those networks in both measures.

· Excluding the Jan. 3 rebroadcast, which ran on the night of a high-rated NFL playoff game, this week's 1.48 rating in 18-49 matches the highest for an "SNL" rebroadcast since March 3, 2014 (1.51 with host and musical guest Drake). "SNL" also earned a 1.48 in rebroadcast on Jan. 10 with host Jim Carrey and musical guest Iggy Azalea. The NFL-boosted Jan. 3 encore averaged a 1.89 rating in 18-49.

· It was the most-watched "SNL" encore since Jan. 5, 2013 (6.294 with host Louis C.K. and musical guest fun following a high-rated NFL overrun) and the most-watched "SNL" encore, excluding nights of NFL overruns, in six years, since Feb. 28, 2009 (5.918 million with host Neil Patrick Harris and musical guest Taylor Swift).

Last Saturday's Primetime "SNL Valentine" Special in L+SD

· The NBC Special "An SNL Valentine" (1.3/5 in 18-49, 5.1 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m. ET) captured NBC's highest 18-49 and total-viewer results in the time period, excluding sports-related programming, in more than three years, since Dec. 24, 2011 ("It's a Wonderful Life," 1.8 in 18-49, 5.6 million viewers overall from 10-11 p.m.).

· "An SNL Valentine" was the night's #1 primetime telecast on the Big 4 networks in adults 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54, as well as all key adult-female demos.

In Late-Night Metered Markets Friday Night:

· In Nielsen's 56 metered markets, household results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 3.2/8; CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman," 2.5/6; and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 2.2/5 with an encore.

· In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, adult 18-49 results were: "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," 1.4/6; "Late Show," 0.4/2; and "Jimmy Kimmel Live," 0.6/3 with an encore.

· From 12:35-1:05 a.m. ET, ABC's "Nightline" averaged a 1.4/4 in metered-market households and a 0.4/2 in 18-49 in the Local People Meters.

· From 12:35-1:35 a.m. ET, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" (1.5/5 in metered-market households with an encore) beat CBS's "Late Late Show" (1.1/3). In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Late Night" (0.7/4 in 18-49 with an encore) topped "Late Late Show" (0.2/1).

· At 1:35 a.m., "Last Call with Carson Daly" averaged a 0.9/4 in metered-market households with an encore and a 0.4/3 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

NOTE: Primetime results are based on "fast affiliate time period" data from Nielsen Media Research. All ratings are "live plus same day" unless otherwise indicated.





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· DATELINE NBC (NBC)
· DRACULA (NBC)
· GRIMM (NBC)
· SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC)





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