Whoever said soaps were dying sure didn’t have a reliable crystal ball: “General Hospital” is at it again with yet another week of climbing ratings!

As the show’s 50th Anniversary continued through the week of April 8, the show saw an 18-month high in women ages 18-49, placing it in the number two spot in the demos and — you better believe it — generating the biggest year-to-year increase of any broadcast daytime program! Read on for the official press release containing more information regarding “GH’s” upsweep:

Ron Tom/ABC

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As previously reported, tomorrow, April 12, The Paley Center for Media will present a panel discussion with the cast of ABC’s “General Hospital” in honor of the soaps 50th anniversary. Also scheduled to join in are executive producer Frank Valentini and head writer Ron Carlivati.

While tickets have already sold out quickly, fans of ABC’s “General Hospital” won’t have to miss out on their favorite actors as they take a chair with Will Keck, Senior Editor & Columnist, TV Guide Magazine, during an interactive panel conversation that will be streamed live at PaleyCenter.org on Friday, April 12 at 7:00 PM PT at The Paley Center for Media John H. Mitchell Theatre in Beverly Hills, CA.

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According to ABC, “General Hospital” reached a six-week high in Total Viewers (2.79 million – since week of 2/18/13) and a five-week high in Women 18-49 (660,000/1.0 rating – since week of 2/25/13). The drama series also attracted its largest audience in Women 25-54 in more than a year-and-a-half (918,000/1.5 rating – since 9/26/11). On ABC.com, the anniversary week amassed 2.1 million page views, up by a massive 77% over the prior two weeks.

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Kevin Winter/Getty Images

On Enation’s YouTube page, band member Jonathan Jackson posted a heartfelt message to ABC’s “General Hospital” as it celebrates its 50th year on television. The singer and actor, now portraying Avery Barkley on ABC’s “Nashville,” portrayed the Emmy Award winning role of Lucky Spencer on “GH” from 1993 to 2011 (with breaks in between).

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TV Guide Magazine

In the 60th anniversary special double issue of TV Guide Magazine (April 8 – 21, 2013), ABC’s “General Hospital” secured a four-page spread on its 50th anniversary, but Luke and Laura Spencer (Anthony Geary and Genie Francis) ultimately secured the biggest spotlight of them all. The dynamic duo, in their famous wedding shot compiled of past covers of TV Guide Magazine, received the back cover spot of the mag which features the hit shows from every decade since the publications launch including “I Love Lucy” (1950s), “Star Trek” (1960s), “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” (1970s), “The Cosby Show” (1980s), “The Simpsons” (1990s) and “Lost” (2000s) on special collector’s edition front cover copies of the celebratory issue.

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On the Thursday, April 4 edition of “Katie,” Katie Couric takes you behind the scenes of ABC’s “General Hospital” as she prepares for her “GH” debut!

Donna Svennevik/Disney-ABC Domestic Television

While the talk show host conducts sit down interviews with a number of your favorite stars from the soap on her set, including Genie Francis (Laura Spencer) and Anthony Geary (Luke Spencer), it’s the behind the scenes videos from her time at “GH’s” Prospect Studios in Los Angeles, CA where the real dish lies. In fact, Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) even provides viewers with a humorous “size me up” that even Couric can’t stop herself from laughing over…until the ladies duke it out over Colin Firth!

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On Saturday, April 6, ABC News’ “20/20” takes a behind the scenes look at ABC’s “General Hospital” as the soap celebrates 50 years on television.

Hosted by Katie Couric, “The Real Soap Dish” gives you a glimpse at the making of an iconic soap and interviews with such stars as Rick Springfield (Noah Drake), Jack Wagner (Frisco Jones), Anthony Geary (Luke Spencer), Genie Francis (Laura Spencer), Sean Kanan (AJ Quartermaine), Ian Buchanan (Duke Lavery), Jason Thompson (Patrick Drake), Sean Blakemore (Shawn Butler), Lisa LoCicero (Olivia Falconeri), Kelly Monaco (Sam McCall), Laura Wright (Carly Corinthos Jacks), Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth Webber), and many more.

Ron Tom/ABC

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The Paley Center for Media

While tickets have already sold out quickly, fans of ABC’s “General Hospital” won’t have to miss out on their favorite actors as they take a chair with Will Keck, Senior Editor & Columnist, TV Guide Magazine, during an interactive panel conversation that will be streamed live at PaleyCenter.org on Friday, April 12 at 7:00 PM PT at The Paley Center for Media John H. Mitchell Theatre in Beverly Hills, CA.

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Variety.com

In a report by Variety, Michael Maloney talks with “General Hospital‘s” leading man, Anthony Geary (Luke Spencer), who explains that the renewed success of the soap can be directly credited to its head writer and executive producer.

“Our 50th year could have come and gone with a (simple) ‘Wow,’” said Geary. “But Frank [Valentini, EP] and Ron [Carlivati, HW] have been determined to make it something special for the audience. The ratings are showing that they’ve already decided to achieve that.”

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Rick Rowell/ABC

As “General Hospital‘s” 50th anniversary celebration kicks into high gear this week with a very special episode airing Tuesday, April 2 (episode was originally scheduled to air on Monday, April 1 as the 50th anniversary celebratory episode), fans will have no chance of avoiding the cast of the series as they grace your TV screens in more ways than one.

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