• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, September 29, 2009

TV makers are now making TV programs to promote their products.

Vizio, which makes liquid-crystal display high-def televisions, is helping to create a new show for Fox Sports called "Vizio's Profiles." Hosted by Laura Okmin, the weekly show -- set to debut Oct. 2 -- features in-depth, 30-minute profiles of pro football stars, covering their lives both on and off the field with a "reality TV" approach.

Vizio is serving as executive producer of the new show, allowing it to play a substantial role in its format, while giving it co-ownership of the content. Vizio will post each show at Vizio.com after it airs across Fox Sports Network's affiliated station, which Fox claims reaches 85 million households.

One of the major selling points for HDTV sets has been the increased clarity and enhanced experience they offer to viewers of sporting events, especially after the switchover to digital television.

"Vizio Profiles" will include ample opportunities to highlight dramatic game footage. And perhaps, to subtly remind fans that it would look even better on a new TV.

Jason Maciel, Vizio's director of marketing, noted that "the proliferation of DVRs is forcing every company to reevaluate how it spends its media dollars. He added that the new show "represents a shift for us to move beyond traditional media buys to the development and ownership of branded content."