Primetime Preliminary Fast National Nielsen Data
(includes all DVR playback through 3:00 am)

Here are the highlights of the seven ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (10/15/16):

ABC (8.325 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1) was the top draw on Saturday with its coverage of "Saturday Night College Football" (8.325 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 2.5, #1).

CBS (3.947 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) then was a distant second with repeats of "Hawaii Five-0" (3.378 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #5) and "48 Hours" (3.645 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3) followed by a new "48 Hours" (4.820 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #2).

Next up was NBC (2.429 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) with its presentation of "College Football: Stanford at Notre Dame" (2.429 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T3).

And finally, FOX (1.720 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.4, #4) closed out the evening with a repeat "Lethal Weapon" (1.483 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #7) and a second "Lethal Weapon" (1.959 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.4, #6).

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

· The Oct. 15 telecast of "Saturday Night Live" has scored the show's highest Week 3 rating in eight years in Nielsen's metered markets.

· Last night's "Saturday Night Live," with host Emily Blunt and musical guest Bruno Mars, generated a 5.0 rating, 12 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 2.3/12 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· The Oct. 15 "Saturday Night Live" earned the show's highest household rating for a third telecast of a new season since the Sept. 27, 2008 edition, hosted by Anna Faris with musical guest Duffy, which scored a 6.0 rating.

· In adult 18-49 results in the 25 markets with local people meters, last night's 2.3 for "Saturday Night Live" was the show's highest Week 3 rating since Oct. 12, 2013 (2.3 with host Bruce Willis and musical guest Katy Perry). The last time "SNL" rated higher in 18-49 with a Week 3 edition was on Oct. 8, 2011 (2.6 with host Ben Stiller and musical guest Foster The People).

· Last night's telecast is up +19% versus the show's October 2015 average for originals in metered-market households (5.0 vs. 4.2) and up +15% in 18-49 in the local people meters (2.3 vs. 2.0 for October 2015).

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

Here are the highlights of the eight ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/17/15):

"Saturday Night College Football" (5.716 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) put ABC (5.716 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.6, #1) into the top spot on Saturday.

NBC (3.183 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #2) then claimed the silver with its coverage of "College Football: USC @ Notre Dame" (3.183 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2).

Next up was CBS (3.975 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #3) with repeats of "NCIS" (4.147 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T4) and "Code Black" (3.063 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T4) plus a new "48 Hours" (4.715 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2).

And finally, repeats of "Grandfathered" (1.647 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.4, #6), "The Grinder" (1.272 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T7) and "Rosewood" (1.465 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.3, #T7) on FOX (1.462 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) closed out the evening.

In late-night metered market ratings (via NBC's press release):

· Delayed by a primetime football overrun, "Saturday Night Live," with host Tracy Morgan and musical guest Demi Lovato (4.2/11 in metered-market households, 2.0/10 in adults 18-49 in the local people meters from 11:45 p.m.-1:15 a.m. ET) ranked as the night's #1 telecast on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and 18-49 in the local people meters, topping all primetime programs on those nets.

· In 18-49 in the local people meters, "Saturday Night Live" matched the show's highest rating since Jan. 31 (2.1 with host J.K. Simmons and musical guest D'Angelo and The Vanguard)

· The Oct. 10 "Saturday Night" grew +8% versus "SNL's" year-ago October average in metered-market households (4.2 vs. 3.9 on Oct. 4, 11 and 25, 2014) and equaled the October 2014 average in 18-49 in the local people meters (2.0 vs. 2.0). On the same night last year, "SNL" was in rebroadcast.

· Note that "SNL" adds significant viewership via time-shifting, with originals last season growing by an average of +44% going from "live plus same day ratings" to "live plus seven day" in adults 18-49 (from a 1.84 rating to a 2.65).

Source: Nielsen Media Research