Familiar faces come back to TV

Bright House Networks has hired two familiar faces that are expected to be on the air over the next several weeks: Bill Murphy, who had worked for years as an anchor and reporter at WTVT, Channel 13, and Victoria Lim, the former consumer affairs and investigative reporter who worked with News Channel 8.

Lim will be doing sports reporting for Bright House Sports Network, said Elliot Wiser, corporate vice president of local programming for the cable television provider, and Murphy will appear on the Tampa Bay on Demand channel.

"Bill will be profiling different areas and all the great things you can do around here," Wiser said. That includes good places to eat, party and be entertained.

"We're playing off his popularity in market. We're excited to be working with Bill. He's a well-known personality."

Tampa Bay on Demand, on Bright House's channel 340, has been around for five years, Wiser said.

Murphy came out of retirement for the job, he said.

"He's already started shooting segments," Wiser said, "and they will begin airing next couple weeks."

Lim is in China, Wiser said, and should begin doing sports segments in about a month.

"She has been one of best reporters in this market for a very long while," Wiser said. "She has long been interested in sports reporting, and this is a perfect fit."

Lim will report from the sidelines of sporting events and appear on sports shows offered by the channel, Wiser said. "She will be in a lot of different roles."

Brooke Bennett, the Brandon swimmer and former Olympic gold-medal winner, was also hired to do segments for Bright House sports, Wiser said. Bennett was hired about two months ago and will cover swimming and other sports news.

"She's a phenomenal talent," Wiser said.

"CRONKITE REMEMBERS": Discovery Channel says it's re-airing "Cronkite Remembers," an eight-part look at the 20th century through the eyes of veteran newsman Walter Cronkite.

The encore presentation honors Cronkite, who died last week at 92. The series airs Sunday in a double marathon beginning at 11 a.m. and concluding at 3 a.m. Monday.

The series charts Cronkite's life and times through recollections, interviews, home movies and clips from the CBS News library and other archives. Episodes include "The Cold War," "Television and Politics" and "Man on the Moon."

ALL-STAR WIN: The Nielsen ratings show Fox's broadcast of baseball's All-Star game was a hit with viewers last week to top the ratings.

Right behind it was another sort of competition: Two nights of "America's Got Talent" on NBC, ranking second and third.

Mostly on view this midsummer week were lots of repeats. Many of them were CBS hits such as "NCIS" and "Two and a Half Men."

Overall in prime time, Fox was the winner, with CBS close behind. NBC was in third place, while ABC was fourth.

TUNE IN TONIGHT

The Fashion Show, 10 p.m., Bravo

Viewers pick a winner from the final three designers. Yawn.