ABC FAMILY GREEN-LIGHTS THE CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED HIT DRAMA SERIES "SWITCHED AT BIRTH" FOR A FOURTH SEASON

The Season Three Finale Airs Monday, August 18th at 8:00PM

Burbank, CA (August 13, 2014) - ABC Family today announced the network has picked up a fourth season of its hit original drama series "Switched at Birth." The third season finale of the Peabody Award-winning series airs Monday, August 18th at 8:00PM ET/PT. "Switched at Birth" remains one of basic cable's strongest dramas this summer, ranking as cable TV's #1 series in its time period in key female demos.

"Fans will be clamoring for season four and to know what happens with Daphne and Bay after the season three finale next week," said Tom Ascheim, President ABC Family.

The critically-acclaimed "Switched at Birth" tells the story of two teenage girls who discover they were accidentally switched as newborns in the hospital. Despite overwhelming socio-economic and ethnic differences, both families must learn to co-exist as parents and blend their lives into one for the sake of their daughters.

"Switched at Birth" has been honored with a Peabody Award as well as a Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming and an Imagen Award for Best Primetime Program. The series has also won AFTRA's (American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) American Scene "Crystal Award(R)," the Producers Guild of America George Sunga Award and a Gracie Award.

"Switched at Birth" is executive-produced by Lizzy Weiss ("Blue Crush") and Paul Stupin ("Dawson's Creek," "Make It or Break It"). The series stars Katie Leclerc as Daphne Vasquez; Vanessa Marano ("Gilmore Girls") as Bay Kennish; Constance Marie ("George Lopez") as Regina Vasquez; D.W. Moffett ("Friday Night Lights") as John Kennish; Lea Thompson ("Back to the Future," "Caroline in the City") as Kathryn Kennish; Lucas Grabeel ("High School Musical") as Toby Kennish; Sean Berdy as Emmett Bledsoe with guest star Marlee Matlin ("The West Wing") as Melody Bledsoe.

Part of the Disney/ABC Television Group, ABC Family is distributed in over 97 million homes. ABC Family features programming reflecting today's families, entertaining and connecting with adults through relatable programming about today's relationships - told with a mix of diversity, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family's programming is a combination of network-defining original series and original movies, quality acquired series and blockbuster theatricals. For 2014, ABC Family has launched the "WATCH ABC Family" authenticated service which allows viewers with participating TV subscription services access to 24/7 live viewing of the network, as well as continued on demand access to such popular series at home and on the go via a wide array of devices. ABC Family is also the destination for annual Holiday events with "13 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas." ABC Family. A New Kind of Family.