Clear Channel's Video Venture

It's not just any Monday in the radio world. There's a lot of big buzz in that industry, considering that today marks the debut of shock jock Howard Stern's new and improved broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio (NASDAQ:SIRI). For that reason alone, it would be easy to miss -- if not shrug off -- an announcement that terrestrial radio concern Clear Channel (NYSE:CCU) is making yet another attempt to expand its product offerings.

Clear Channel said that it's beta testing a new Internet-based service, where surfers can come to its radio-related websites and watch music videos for free (if they tolerate watching a 15-second advertisement first). It's couched as a way to possibly woo musical listeners away from other services that provide music videos, like Time Warner's (NYSE:TWX) AOL, Viacom's (NYSE:VIA) MTV, Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO), Microsoft, or dare I say it, Apple's iTunes (which does, of course, charge for music videos).

Although listeners can watch the videos for free (as long as they watch the ads), they will then be able to buy related music, which will be available from labels from VivendiUniversal's (NYSE:V) Universal Music Group, EMI Music, and Warner Music Group (NYSE:WMG). Clear Channel's press announcement boasted of a "viral component" to the offering; listeners can easily share videos with their friends, advertising the service in the process. Clear Channel will launch 16 such sites for radio stations in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington, D.C., and St. Louis.

With all the recent buzz about video content, it makes sense that media companies should be trying to keep up with the times. Music videos are obviously just the beginning, given the recent word that Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) will join Apple in the quest to sell TV shows and other video content.

Companies like Clear Channel certainly do need to show that they have the digital content that is fast becoming a given. It's all well and good for such companies to make sure that they're keeping up with the Joneses -- and these days, the Joneses include satellite radio players like Sirius and XM Satellite Radio (NASDAQ:XMSR). However, it seems to me that traditional radio providers still have a lot of hard work to make their industry look exciting again.

Tune into some more recent related Foolish content.

• We've kept a close eye on Howard Stern's move to satellite radio.
• Recently, Clear Channel moved to hurry up digital radio.
• Clear Channel recently tried to get hipper with podcasts.

Time Warner is a Motley Fool Stock Advisor pick. XM Satellite Radio is a Motley Fool Rule Breakers selection. Microsoft is a Motley Fool Inside Value recommendation. To find out more about the Motley Fool's suite of newsletters, click here to find the service and investing philosophy that's right for you.

Alyce Lomax does not own shares of any of the companies mentioned.