Mormon Church-Owned TV Station in Utah to Start Airing SNL

Live from New York, it's Saturday Night Livein Utah!

A Mormon church-owned NBC affiliate TV station in Utah has decided to air Saturday Night Live this fall after years of refusing to do so, according to The Associated Press.

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KSL-TV's Vice President Tami Ostmark said the station decided to reverse its standing in order to improve its relationship with NBC and strengthen its lineup on Saturday nights. The initial decision not to air SNL was not due to content, but because a popular sports show aired during that same timeslot. KSL's decision to air new Saturday Night Live episodes was first announced on the station's Facebook page Wednesday and drew mixed reactions from viewers.

KSL previously aired re-runs of SNL at an earlier time on Saturdays. Utah's CW network affiliate, KUCW, had been broadcasting first-run episodes of the sketch show. Additionally, last season KUCW aired two other NBC shows, Hannibaland The New Normal, after KSL declined to air both series.

SNL will now air Saturdays at 10:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 28.