Jeff Zucker

By Ellin Martens, Harriet Barovick, Heather Won Tesoriero, Deirdre van Dyk, Janice Min, Sora Song

The surprise success of CBS's Michael Jackson concert and ABC's Victoria's Secret special showed that TV audiences will still flock to big--or fleshy--TV events. Jeff Zucker, NBC's entertainment chief, talked to TIME about how TV is faring in the post-Sept. 11 world.

Q: Have viewing habits changed since Sept. 11?

A: People have gravitated to the familiar, comfortable and serious, and have had less patience for the frivolous. I think that's why the reality shows have suffered. Friends, ER, The West Wing and Law & Order are at all-time highs.

Q: How is The West Wing going to stay relevant?

A: People get their dose of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. every night on the nightly news, and actually are O.K. to get lost in a fictional drama.

Q: Some people say NBC's "quality" image has been muddied by shows you've introduced like Fear Factor and Weakest Link.

A: We have to broadcast 22 hours a week, and you can't afford, either creatively or financially, to do 22 hours of The West Wing. Am I worried that we sullied our reputation? No.

Q: Is Anne Robinson as mean to the celebrities on Weakest Link as she is to ordinary people?

A: Actually, we've changed Weakest Link a little bit. It's less of an edgy show, and it plays much more like a comedy because of the way we've dressed it up with celebrities and stunts. Now you see Anne laughing all the time and having fun.

Q: Would NBC ever run the Victoria's Secret special?

A: I'm all in favor of escapist television. I'm not sure we would escape that far.