HOSTED BY LINDSAY LOHAN AND FEATURING MUSICAL GUEST JACK WHITE, ‘SNL’ CAPTURES ITS SECOND-BEST NIELSENS SINCE MAY
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – March 8, 2012 – On March 3, “Saturday Night Live†(2.9 rating, 11 share in 18-49, 7.4 million viewers overall), with host Lindsay Lohan and musical guest Jack White, dominated its time period with the show’s strongest results this season for a regular 11:30 p.m. ET telecast, behind only the delayed January 7 edition that followed a primetime NFL playoff game (4.1/16 in 18-49, 10.1 million viewers overall, with host Charles Barkley and musical guest Kelly Clarkson).
Excluding that January 7 telecast, this is the top-rated “Saturday Night Live” since last season’s finale on May 21, 2011 (3.7/14 in 18-49, 9.8 million viewers overall, with host Justin Timberlake and musical guest Lady Gaga). Versus the same night last year, “SNL” is up 4 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 2.9 from a 2.8) and up 1 percent in total viewers (7.429 million vs. 7.345 million).
The March 3 “Saturday Night Live” was the #1 telecast of the night in 18-49 and total viewers ahead of every primetime program on ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox. In 18-49, “SNL” more than doubled the top primetime rating on those networks (2.9 vs. a 1.3 for ABC’s special edition of “20/20”).
Season to date, “Saturday Night Live” is matching its year-ago adult 18-49 rating (2.9 vs. 2.9, “most current”) and is running within 1 percent of last year’s pace in total viewers (7.364 million vs. 7.414 million).