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

Here are the highlights of the nine ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night (12/15/18):

FOX (2.153 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.6, #1) snagged the demo crown on Saturday with its presentation of "UFC on FOX" (2.153 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2).

CBS (3.708 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) then was the most-watched broadcaster with its mix of "NCIS: Los Angeles" (3.011 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.4, #7), "48 Hours" (3.613 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2) and a new "48 Hours" (4.499 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.7, #1).

Next up was NBC (3.014 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T2) with its lineup of "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.327 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5), another "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.021 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.696 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T2).

And finally, a rebroadcast of "The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition" (1.844 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.3, #8) and a new "The Alec Baldwin Show" (0.983 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.2, #9) rounded out the night on ABC (1.557 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4).

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

· The Dec. 15 telecast of "Saturday Night Live," with host Matt Damon and musical guests Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus, averaged a 4.8 rating, 12 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 2.0/10 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· The 4.8 rating in metered-market households is "SNL's" high since the show's Sept. 29 season premiere (also a 4.8, with host Adam Driver and musical guest Kanye West) and equals the show's best since Jan. 27 (4.9 with host Will Ferrell and musical guest Christ Stapleton).

· The Dec. 15 "Saturday Night Live" easily ranks as the #1 show of the night on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and 18-49 in the local people meters, topping all primetime shows on those nets in both categories. The 2.0 rating in 18-49 in the local people meters nearly triples the #2 show of the night on the Big 4 (0.7 for the 10 p.m. "SNL Vintage" encore).

· Versus what "Saturday Night Live" averaged with originals for the month of December last year, the Dec. 15 telecast is up +7% in metered-market households (4.8 vs. 4.5) and up +5% in 18-49 in the local people meters (2.0 vs. 1.9 for December 2017 originals).

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (12/16/17):

FOX (1.777 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) and NBC (2.697 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) shared the demo crown on Saturday as the former served up "UFC on FOX" (1.777 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1).

The Peacock then offered up its mix of "Will & Grace" (2.127 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.4, #9), "Superstore" (1.956 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5), "Dateline Saturday Night Mystery" (3.185 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1) and a vintage "Saturday Night Live" (2.865 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1).

Next up was CBS (3.611 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.5, #3) and its lineup of "NCIS: Los Angeles" (3.641 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5), "SWAT" (3.256 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5) and "48 Hours" (3.937 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.6, #T1).

And finally, ABC (1.819 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.3, #4) rounded out the night with "I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown!" (2.549 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #T5), the return of "Ten Days in the Valley" (1.533 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.3, #10) and a second "Ten Days in the Valley" (1.376 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.2, #11).

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

· "Saturday Night Live" has generated its top metered-market household rating since Nov. 4, to match the show's second-highest overnight result of the season.

· In adult 18-49 rating in the local people meters, "SNL" equaled its high since Oct. 14.

· The Dec. 16 telecast, hosted by Kevin Hart and featuring musical guest Foo Fighters, has averaged a 4.6 rating, 11 share in "live plus same day" household results from the 56 local markets metered by Nielsen Media Research and a 2.0/10 in adults 18-49 in the 25 markets with local people meters.

· The 4.6 in households is the best for "Saturday Night Live" since Nov. 4 (4.7 with host Larry David and musical guest Miley Cyrus) and ties the Oct. 14 edition as the #2 highest rated of the season.

· The 2.0 in 18-49 ties last week and the Nov. 18 telecast as the show's high in the local people meters since Oct. 14 (2.2 with host Kumail Nanjiani and musical guest P!nk).

· Last night's "Saturday Night Live" was easily the #1 telecast of the night on the Big 4 networks in both metered-market households and 18-49 in the local people meters, nearly doubling the night's best primetime household rating on those nets (4.6 vs. 2.4 for "48 Hours") and nearly tripling primetime's top Big 4 adult 18-49 LPM rating (2.0 vs. 0.7 for the "SNL Vintage" encore at 10 p.m.).

· The Dec. 16 "SNL" aired live coast to coast (11:30 p.m. ET, 8:30 p.m. PT) and was replayed at 11:30 in western markets. Note that these numbers under-report last night's "SNL" results because they don't include viewership from the show's 11:30 replays in the Western U.S.

Source: Nielsen Media Research