This is a snippet from Breaking Walls Episode 98: Christmas Week 1947 with Radio's Biggest Stars

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Sunday nights at 7PM was appointment radio from the mid 1930s through the end of the 1940s. Why? Because of one man: Jack Benny.

It was the monumental success of Jack Benny’s 1945-46 season which led to solo shows for Phil Harris, Mel Blanc, and Dennis Day.

In the fall of 1947, Sunday night ratings were dominated by NBC. Their seven to nine PM programming block of Jack Benny, Harris & Faye, Fred Allen, and Bergen & McCarthy all had ratings over 20 points.

Jack Benny, and his program, was the network’s linchpin.

Meanwhile, at 8:30PM from New York, Fred Allen signed on NBC. The comedian was enjoying the best season of his career. His Sunday night rating was 27.4, third-highest on the air.