They say that every year, and it gets renewed for another season.
Saturday Night Live will have to reach abysmal numbers before it gets cut.
-It's a cheap show to produce
--skits with no real cost in props
--the regular cast are wannabe or failed comedians who will work for union scale for one show per week
--the visiting celebrities are willing to do it for free, or even pay to be there in order to promote their current movie
--the visiting musical act is willing to do it for free, or even pay to be there in order to promote their new album
-It's on Saturday so it's competing in the time slot against reruns of Columbo and infomercials.