nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for saturday, october 22, 2011)

Here are the highlights of the seven ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (11.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1) wiped the floor with the competition on Saturday thanks to its coverage of the "World Series, Game 3" (11.38 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.2, #1).

A distant second place then went to CBS (4.62 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.9, #2) with its mix of "Two and a Half Men" (4.08 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4), "Mike & Molly" (3.91 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3), "Hawaii Five-0" (4.32 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T5) and "48 Hours Mystery" (5.55 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2).

Next up was NBC (2.62 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.8, #3) with its rare primetime coverage of "College Football: USC at Notre Dame" (2.62 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T5).

And finally, ABC (2.23 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.7, #4) closed out the evening with its broadcast of "Saturday Night College Football" (2.23 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #7).

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

An encore telecast of "Saturday Night Live," hosted by Alec Baldwin with musical guest Radiohead, averaged a 3.4/8 in metered-market households. In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Saturday Night Live" averaged a 1.8 rating, 8 share in adults 18-49.

Here are the highlights of the eight ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (10/23/10):

FOX (10.15 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1) was the network to beat with its coverage of the "NLCS, Game 6" (10.15 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 3.0, #1).

Second place then went to ABC (6.27 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2) with its mainstay "Saturday Night College Football" (6.27 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 2.1, #2).

Next up was CBS (5.44 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) with repeats of "NCIS: Los Angeles" (4.86 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 1.0, #6) and "Criminal Minds" (5.46 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T4) followed by a new "48 Hours Mystery" (6.00 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.4, #3).

And finally, a new "Outlaw" (3.26 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.5, #8) led into repeats of "Law & Order: Los Angeles" (3.60 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 0.7, #7) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (4.97 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #T4) on NBC (3.91 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4).

And in late-night, a new "Saturday Night Live" averaged a 4.5 household rating, 11 share in the metered markets.

Source: Nielsen Media Research