What, NBC worry?

HOLLYWOOD — That NBC Entertainment president Jeff Zucker just oozed arrogance when he addressed TV critics was no surprise. This is, after all, NBC, where arrogance is institutional. And this is Zucker, who's been institutionalized at NBC since his days running "The Today Show."

But what was a bit surprising was what he was arrogant about. And what he didn't bother to mention at all.

Zucker went on at some length extolling the virtues of his summer schedule. You know, the one loaded with cheesy reality shows. And, not surprisingly, was all but ecstatic to announce that Matt LeBlanc has signed on for a "Friends" spin-off that will premiere in the fall of 2004.

"With 'Joey' and the previously announced 'Father of the Pride' . . . we feel we already have the two most high-profile and anticipated half-hours of the 2004 television season," Zucker said.

That's a statement that's almost unprecedented — a network chieftain extolling the virtues of next season and, at the same time, failing to mention his new shows for this season. Conspicuous by its absence was any mention of shows like "Whoopi," "Happy Family," "The Tracy Morgan Show" and "Coupling," which seemed a tacit admission that none of them is the next "Friends." Or the next "Frasier," for that matter, given that both shows are in their final seasons.

Don't get me wrong. NBC is hugely successful, attracting both the most viewers in the coveted 18-to-49 demographic and, thus, the most advertising dollars. And it's Zucker's job to talk up his network.

But if he really believes everything he's telling us, he's deceiving himself. And that doesn't serve either his network or its viewers.

Take, for example, Zucker's assessment of "Frasier" — a one-time TV gem that has been in decline for at least three seasons and has become all but unwatchable.

"I don't think it's been in a slump for a long time," Zucker said. "I think it had an off-creative year last year."

Which is why they're bringing back executive producer Chris Lloyd and writer/producer Joe Keenan, who left to do the dreadful "Bram & Alice." But they were still at "Frasier" when the show began to hit the skids.

And then there's the fact that Zucker continues to champion the utterly awful "Good Morning, Miami" as a breakout hit that's part of the next generation of NBC sitcom successes. This despite the fact that it has been almost universally assailed by critics for the piece of junk that it is.