The Secret Life of the American Teenager Returns At Record Levels

Posted on 23 June 2009 by Bill Gorman

Updated with the final numbers.

via press release:

Ratings Highlights for Monday, June 22, 2009

Final National Ratings

Sophomore Season Launch of ABC Family’s Hit Original Series “The Secret Life of

the American Teenager” is the Series’ Most-Watched Telecast Ever in Viewers

“Secret Life’s” Debut is the Show’s No. 2 Telecast on Record in Adults 18-34, Adults 18-49 and Viewers 12-34, Behind Only its 1A Fall ‘08 Finale

“Secret Life’s” Season Opener is Cable’s No. 1 Scripted Original Series/Season Debut This Summer in Adults 18-34 and Across All Core Female Demos,

Ahead of High Profile Series “Burn Notice,” “Royal Pains” and “The Closer”

“Secret Life” is Monday’s No. 1 Scripted TV Program in Adults 18-34, Viewers 12-34 and Key Women, and Cable’s No. 1 Scripted Show in Adults 18-49

Newest Original Series, “Make It or Break It” Launches as ABC Family’s

No. 2 Series Debut Ever Across Target 18-34 and 12-34 Demos

“Make It or Break It” Ranks as Cable’s No. 1 Scripted Show at 9 O’Clock

in Women 18-34, Viewers 12-34 and Females 12-34,

and No. 1 Overall in Teens and Female Teens

“Secret Life’s” Season Opener Becomes ABC Family’s Most-Watched Program in the Hour in the Net’s History in Total Viewers and Across All Key Adult Demos

“Make It or Break It” Posts ABC Family’s Best Monday 9 O’clock Numbers

in the Net’s History in Females 12-34 and Female Teens, and Highest Numbers

With Regular Programming Ever in Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Viewers 12-34

“Secret Life” and “Make It or Break It” Register Massive Triple-to-Quadruple Digit

Percent Increases Over Year-Ago Time Period Averages in Key Targets

“The Secret Life of the American Teenager” (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

The second season opener of ABC Family’s hit original series, “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,hit a series high in Total Viewers (4.7 million) and ranked as the show’s second-most-watched telecast on record in Adults 18-34 (1.4 million), Adults 18-49 (2.1 million) and Viewers 12-34 (2.9 million), behind only its season 1A Fall ’08 finale (9/9/08).

Impressively, “Secret Life’s” second season debut now stands as cable’s No. 1 scripted original series/season premiere this summer in Adults 18-34 and across core female 18-34, 18-49 and 12-34 demos, ahead of such high profile series as USA’s “Royal Pains” and “Burn Notice” and TNT’s “The Closer”.

“Secret Life” ranked as Monday’s No. 1 scripted TV show in Adults 18-34, Viewers 12-34 and across target Women demos (18-34, 18-49 and 12-34), and cable’s No. 1 scripted show in Adults 18-49.  In Teens (1.5 million) and Female Teens (1.3 million), “Secret Life” was Monday’s No. 1 TV program.

  • “Secret Life” recorded ABC Family’s largest audience in the hour ever in Total Viewers (4.7 million), Adults 18-34 (1.4 million), Adults 18-49 (2.1 million), Women 18-49 (1.6 million), Viewers 12-34 (2.9 million) and Females 12-34 (2.3 million).
  • “Secret Life” catapulted past year-ago time period levels (06/23/08), jumping by 699% in Total Viewers (4.7 million vs. 588,000), by 673% in Adults 18-34 (1.4 million vs. 181,000), by 534% in Adults 18-49 (2.1 million vs. 331,000) and by 1829% in Viewers 12-34 (2.9 million vs. 99,000).

“Make It or Break It” (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

ABC Family’s newest original series, “Make It or Break It” launched as the net’s No. 2 series launch ever in Adults 18-34 (606,000) and Viewers 12-34 (1.3 million), behind only the July ’08 debut of “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.”  Moreover, “Make It or Break It” also stood as the net’s second-most-watched series premiere on record in core women demos: Women 18-34 (511,000), Women 18-49 (840,000) and Females 12-34 (1.1 million).

Make It or Break It” stood as cable’s No. 1 scripted show in the hour in Women 18-34, Viewers 12-34 and Females 12-34, and TV’s No. 1 program overall in Females Teens (610,000).

  • “Make It or Break It” registered ABC Family’s best deliveries in the hour ever in Females 12-34 (1.1 million) and Female Teens (610,000), and the net’s best numbers on record with regular programming (excludes “25 Days of Christmas”) in Total Viewers (2.5 million), Adults 18-49 (1.0 million) and Viewers 12-34 (1.3 million).
  • “Make It or Break It” vaulted past year-ago time period averages by triple-digit percent margins, increasing by 181% in Total Viewers (2.5 million vs. 890,000), by 140% in Adults 18-34 (606,000 vs. 252,000), by 114% in Adults 18-49 (1.0 million vs. 468,000) and by 856% in Viewers 12-34 (1.3 million vs. 136,000).

Source: Nielsen Media Research (Preliminary National Ratings, Live + Same Day, 6/22/09, Year-Ago, 6/23/08; ABC Family: Nov. ’01- to date; Summer 09 to date: 6/1/09-6/22/09).

Share:
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • MySpace
  • del.icio.us
  • Digg
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • email

15 Responses to “The Secret Life of the American Teenager Returns At Record Levels”

  1. star title says:

    but the show sucks, why do people watch?

  2. RJ says:

    Secret Life is doing AMAZING!

  3. Tanner says:

    This show is AWESOME!! They introduced so many new things in the premiere, it’s going to be a GREAT season!

  4. MichaelJA says:

    What is truely amazing is this spin. I miss KYLE-XY!

  5. Josh Emerson says:

    Regardless of this show’s quality, I just love seeing an ABC Family show getting double the ratings anything on Dawn’s CW can pull.

    This is basically a guilty pleasure for me. I get annoyed by so many things they do on there, how completely unrealistic it is, etc. But sometimes I enjoy it.

  6. josh says:

    does put the CW to shame!

  7. Terry says:

    You gotta love it when Bristol Palin gives pieces of crap like this free plublicity.

  8. Hot Pocket says:

    Just shows you which one is better between ABC Family and The CW. ABC Family should just replace The CW.

  9. forg says:

    Wow, Secret Life… is produced by the creator of 7th Heaven right? Amazing that she got another hit and putting The CW to shame. Looks like ABC Fam is the new The WB.

  10. Moorplant says:

    I don’t like Secret Life, its horribly unrealistic whilst boasting about how “true real life” it is and is definitely from the Brenda Hamptom school of stupid moralistic plots. But that said it is very funny that it is kicking the CW’s more “buzzed about” shows in the ass big time. This kind of drama is why they need to go back to, not more Gossip Girl esque shows.

    Are we considering “Make it Or Break it” debut decent or not?

  11. Bill Gorman says:

    Moorplant, considering it was ABC Family’s #2 debut ever (behind SLOTAT), I’d call it more than decent.

  12. Sally says:

    3rd biggest debut (in total viewers, that is). Kyle XY bowed to 2.6 million viewers in June 2006.

  13. pete5125 says:

    Sadly Brenda Hamilton has a knack for making stupid shows that you are embaresed to be watching, that for some reason are habit forming, I remeber 7th Heaven was awful, but their were many Monday nights when nothing else was on that you would be drawn to it, at 1st just between comercials, of other shows, then you would get worried that this was the episode that Mary might go on a drunkin rage…I will not fall for Brenda’s evil tricks again and get roped into another show that is so bad it is good.

    On the other hand you know that in the last season of 7th Heaven this had to be offered up as a series idea, imagine if Dawn would of went after any of the shows ABCFamily seems to be getting.

    It seems that ABCFamily has a cooler line-up of shows aimed at tween girls, while CW has a more stable schedule than in the past, I can’t see any decision that was made other than the Vampire Diaries(Twighlight is very hot still and they have another movie coming up this year), I would of also got the producers of Charm to make me a rip-off of Harry Potter, and the Smallville people to make me either a Justice League or Green Arrow spin-off.

  14. Keaton says:

    I love this show. Granted, it has some of the worst acting on TV. But what makes it so appealing to the younger generation is that this (in my opinion) is the closest thing to reality on TV for teenagers, esp that 13-16 year old range, with maybe the exception of 1 storyline. Teens are as naive as they are on this show, and the parents are just as messed up as the kids. If you want to know how your teenage kids think, watch this show. Its doesn’t appeal to the sensibilities of older people, which unfortunately, most “teen” show do.

  15. Olivia says:

    I fully admit to loving this show. I have heard all the arguments against SLAT and I still keep tuning in and enjoying every minute. And like Keaton says, it’s got a lot of elements that I can relater to too – teens do some of the most backwards things and have the craziest rationalizations just like on the show. Plus the parents aren’t perfect, they make mistakes all the time, what could be more true to life? I am addicted!!


Renew of Cancel Index


Play Fan Excuse Bingo!