SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Premiere Equals Season Finale in Ratings

• "Saturday Night Live," with host Tina Fey and musical guest Arcade Fire (4.7/12 in metered-market households, 2.7/13 in adults 18-49 in the Local People Meters) is currently equaling the show's household and 18-49 ratings from the "SNL" season finale on May 18 (with host Ben Affleck and musical guest Kanye West), pending updates.

• The 39th season premiere of "Saturday Night Live" ranks as the #1 telecast of the night on ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in both 18-49 rating in the Local People Meters and in metered-market household rating, outscoring all Primetime programs on those networks.

• In household rating averages from Nielsen's 56 metered markets, "Saturday Night Live" is currently matching its highest rating since April 6 (4.8 with host Melissa McCarthy and musical guest Phoenix). In 18-49 ratings from Nielsen's 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Saturday Night Live" is equaling its highest rating since April 13 (2.8 with host Vince Vaughn and musical guest Miguel).

• "SNL" is currently running within a tenth of a rating point of the year-ago premiere, which ran two weeks earlier on September 15, 2012 (4.8/12 in metered-market households, 2.8/12 in the Local People Meters with host Seth MacFarlane and musical guest Frank Ocean), pending updates.

• National ratings, including viewer totals, for last night's "Saturday Night Live" are due from Nielsen on Thursday, October 3.

• At 10 p.m. ET, a rebroadcast of "Saturday night Live" (0.9/3, 2.9 million viewers overall), with host Melissa McCarthy and musical guest Phoenix, generated the top "SNL" encore rating in this time period in 18-49 since April 20 (host Vince Vaughn, musical guest Miguel), topping the show's prior five rebroadcasts in this slot. "SNL" also equaled NBC's highest 18-49 rating with any entertainment programming in the time period in the five months since April 20. In total viewers, it's the top "SNL" rebroadcast in this slot since April 13 (host Melissa McCarthy, musical guest Phoenix). The "SNL" encore was #2 in the slot among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in adults 18-34..

• At 9 p.m. ET, an encore telecast of "The Blacklist" (0.7/3 in 18-49, 3.8 million viewers overall) captured NBC's biggest overall audience in the time period, excluding sports, since March 30. The 9 p.m. "Blacklist" rebroadcast tied for #2 among ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in the time period in 18-49 and was #2 outright in total viewers. "The Blacklist" built on its lead-in and built half-hour to half-hour in adult 18-49, total viewers and other key measures.

• At 8 p.m. ET, an encore "Chicago Fire" (0.5/2 in adults 18-49, 2.3 million viewers overall) grew from half-hour to half-hour in total viewers (to 2.331 million from 2.265 million).

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