nielsen ratings
(fast national numbers for saturday, january 19, 2013)

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks last night:

FOX (2.497 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.9, #1) pulled off a modest victory on Saturday with its mix of a new "Cops" (3.030 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.0, #3) followed by repeats of "Cops" (3.428 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 1.2, #1) and "Kitchen Nightmares" (1.766 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T5).

CBS (5.120 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2) then was the most-watched network with rebroadcasts of "NCIS" (5.213 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.6, #9) and "Hawaii Five-0" (4.624 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T5) plus a new "48 Hours" (5.525 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #2).

Meanwhile, ABC (2.989 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T2) offered up a special "20/20" (4.238 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #4) alongside the feature "Blades of Glory" (2.364 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T5).

And finally, NBC (2.412 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.5, #4) closed out the evening with repeats of "Deception" (1.603 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T10), "Chicago Fire" (2.405 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.4, #T10) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.228 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.7, #T5).

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

* "Saturday Night Live," with host Jennifer Lawrence and musical guest The Lumineers (4.9/12 in metered-market households) dominated its time period. "SNL" scored the #1 rating of the night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in metered-market households, topping all primetime telecasts on those networks.

* In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, last night's "Saturday Night Live" averaged a 2.8 rating, 12 share in adults 18-49. "SNL" delivered the top rating of the night among ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in the Local People Meters, out-rating all primetime programming on those networks.

* In the Local People Meters, "Saturday Night Live" matched its highest adult 18-49 rating since November 3 (with a telecast hosted by Louis C.K. with musical guest fun, 3.0).

Here are the highlights of the 11 ad-sustained programs that aired in primetime on the broadcast networks one year ago (1/21/12):

ABC (3.50 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T1) and NBC (4.40 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #T1) split the demo crown on Saturday with the latter serving up encores of "Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl" (4.88 million viewers, #2; adults 18-49: 1.0, #6), "Betty White's Off Their Rockers" (4.78 million viewers, #3; adults 18-49: 1.2, #3) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (3.47 million viewers, #9; adults 18-49: 0.9, #7).

The Alphabet then went with repeats of the feature "Over the Hedge" (3.44 million viewers, #10; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T4) and "Castle" (3.61 million viewers, #8; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T8).

Next up was FOX (2.71 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 0.9, #3) with new episodes of "Cops" (3.72 million viewers, #7; adults 18-49: 1.3, #2), another "Cops" (4.37 million viewers, #4; adults 18-49: 1.5, #1) and a repeat of "Terra Nova" (1.38 million viewers, #11; adults 18-49: 0.4, #11).

And finally, repeats of "NCIS: Los Angeles" (3.82 million viewers, #6; adults 18-49: 0.5, #10), "48 Hours Mystery" (4.22 million viewers, #5; adults 18-49: 0.8, #T8) and a new "48 Hours Mystery" (5.29 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 1.1, #T4) on CBS (4.44 million viewers, #1; adults 18-49: 0.8, #4) closed out the night.

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

An encore telecast of "Saturday Night Live" (3.9/10 in metered-market households) with host Emma Stone and musical guest Coldplay, scored the show's highest rating for an encore in nearly nine months, since the April 30, 2011 telecast hosted by Dana Carvey with musical guest Linkin Park (3.9/10). The last time an "SNL" rebroadcast topped last night's 3.9 was one year ago, on January 22, 2011, with host Robert De Niro and musical guest Diddy Dirty Money (4.0/10). This week's "SNL" dominated its time period and tied for the highest rating of the night in metered-market households with CBS's "48 Hours" (3.9/7) and ahead of all other Saturday primetime telecasts on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox.

In the 25 markets with Local People Meters, "Saturday Night Live" averaged a 2.0 rating, 9 share in adults 18-49, matching the show's highest LPM rating for an encore in nearly 11 months, since the February 26, 2011 telecast hosted by Anne Hathaway with musical guest Florence + The Machine (2.3/10). In the Local People Meters, "SNL" ranked #1 among the night's telecasts ahead of all Saturday primetime programs on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox.

Source: Nielsen Media Research