Certifications are usually earned from a professional society or educational institute, not the government. However, a government agency can decree a certification is required by law for a person to be allowed to perform a task or job.
When The Vampire Diaries premiered on The CW Television Network, on September 10, 2009, it attracted the largest audience of any series since the network began in 2006.
On Tuesday nights, The Originals, The Vampire Diaries' successful spinoff, and Supernatural have given the network one of its most highly rated pairings in years, doubling its year-to-year rating in the aduls 18-49 demo (1.5 vs. 0.6).