Cable net CNBC is rolling a new game show, "Fast Money MBA Challenge," set for an Aug. 1 premiere and a run of four hourlong episodes once a week. Set to work as both summertime filler and an attempt to attract younger viewers, it comes on the heels of CNBC's "Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge." That game was won by a waitress from Ohio, and while it attracted 377,000 participants, it was full of disqualifications for cheating. The new show pits 32 students in teams from eight colleges against each other and is modeled after the old "GE College …

Overture Films has tapped Omnicom's PHD as its media agency for an account that could run to $80 million to $100 million in the next year. The unit of Liberty Media is just 6-months-old and plans to develop, produce, acquire and distribute movies worldwide. Among its projects are "Righteous Kill," starring Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino, while the studio will start shooting "Last Chance Harvey," starring Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson this fall. "Our goal is to offer our filmmakers a fresh approach to marketing and media," says said Elana Sulzer, senior vice president-media at Overture. "In PHD, …

CBS confirms that it is talking with comedian Drew Carey about hosting "The Price is Right," but the network is keeping its options open in the search to replace the recently retired Bob Barker. "Hopefully we'll make a decision soon," says CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler. "We're in talks with Drew, but it would be stupid for us not to be in talks in Drew." Carey is already set to host a prime-time game show on CBS called "Power of 10" that premieres next month. Tassler declines to discuss other possible hosts because "it wouldn't be fair to …

Spike TV is pulling out all the stops to promote its new bank-heist limited series "The Kill Point." In what director of marketing Todd Ames calls a "bigness" approach, the Viacom cable net will have traveling billboards on 18-wheeler trucks in top markets, including Los Angeles and New York. It will also hand out thousands of $1 bills with stickers of "Kill Point" star John Leguizamo's face replacing that of George Washington. The cash will be randomly distributed in delis, bars, malls and restaurants in Los Angeles and New York. "One of my philosophies is to try to …

The Breeders' Cup is the real championship of thoroughbred horse racing, and while it is in the shadow of the Triple Crown, it hopes to change that by establishing "The Breeders' Cup Challenge." The event will feature 24 stakes races at six venues and be televised by ABC/ESPN. It is touted as a "Win and You're in" format, with the top pony in each preliminary race getting a slot in the championship stakes. "The importance of having the races at different premiere courses throughout the U.S. is to create a direct linkage with the Breeders' Cup brand and the …

The Fresno Bee is shipping some of its ad production work overseas, cutting almost one-third of its ad design department and moving their jobs to India. Express KCS, with offices in San Jose, London and near New Delhi, will get the work and most of the newspaper's advertising services will not be affected. A spokesman said job cuts will begin in September, but customers will continue to work with sales, marketing and design employees in Fresno. The Bee is owned by McClatchy Newspapers and is so far the only one using KCS in favor of American …

CBS is nearing a sellout for its upcoming broadcasts of the U.S. Open tennis championship, with 90% of inventory already gone -- and the Tiffany Network is also commanding mid-to-high single digit cost per thousand increases for its spots. Among the new sponsors this time around are Aviva, Canon, Fed Ex and ING and Valspar. CBS is aiming to have over 40 advertisers signed up by the time of its first telecast. "The tennis marketplace has been more active and healthier this year than it has been the past few years," says John Bogusz, CBS executive vice president …

Michelin North America has put its entire $112 million North America media-buying and planning account with MediaCom after a four-month search. The work includes BF Goodrich, Uniroyal, Michelin Maps and Guides and TCI Tire Centers distribution. Losing out is Campbell-Ewald, which handled media planning, although it will keep creative duties for the Michelin brand, while Interpublic sister shop Martin Agency retains BF Goodrich. "We are enthusiastic about our new relationship with MediaCom, and eager to apply the expertise and innovations they demonstrated during the search," says Dave Murtaugh, director-corporate image, Michelin North America.

William Shatner has been tapped by the Biography Channel to do a new celebrity interview show. The actor, who first came to fame as Captain Kirk of the USS Enterprise, is currently part of the cast of "Boston Legal" and a frequent ad pitchman. The new half-hour program will have him interviewing actors and politicians and be called "Shatner's Raw Nerve." It will explore "life's most intriguing questions and unearth his guests' strange and unknown stories," the net says. Thirteen episodes have been ordered and are set to run next year. The move comes as the …

Cable companies are now tops in residential digital-video-recorder service, overtaking satellite providers according to a study by the Carmel Group. Cable now has 52% of DVR penetration, while satellite has 38% of homes. And cable DVRs are now in three of 10 cable homes. Carmel's data also showed that DVR service is under marketed to some groups, including women and minorities, as most users are white men. About three quarters of those surveyed were DVR users. Those who aren't cited cost, lack of interest and providers who don't offer it as among the reasons they don't use …