You know something? They were right.

Clear Channel’s radio division recently announced a new, original programming venture that will be available on its radio stations’ Web sites. Called “Stripped”, the programming has been described as having a “distinct visual look” much like MTV’s “Unplugged” or NBC’s “Saturday Night Live”. Each episode of “Stripped” will be branded as local programming even though the individual programs will be shot in New York and Los Angeles.

Each performance will be shot live with four hand-held cameras in a wide-screen and 24p format. 24p allows for finishing the production in a film-like 24 frames-per-second format resulting in a master that can be used to produce versions in all high-definition formats.

The promotional aspects of such an endeavor are obvious. By providing local stations with original, professional programming, “Stripped” will provide Web surfers with a better reason to visit Clear Channel radio station Web sites than just the opportunity to look at the playlist and see the DJ lineup. Plus, the stations will be able to cross-promote “Stripped” through their own on-air programming.

In fact, Clear Channel has created what it calls a “comprehensive promotions package” for “Stripped” which includes a satellite radio tour with exclusive on-air interviews and listener questions in 10 to 15 key markets, an aggressive on-air campaign and heavy promotion through the stations’ Web properties. Of course, the usual Internet promotional tools, such as e-mail blasts, will also figure into the mix.

So far, Clear Channel has snagged Rob Thomas, John Legend, Gavin DeGraw and Jesse McCartney for “Stripped”. This is one rare instance where video may enhance, rather than kill, the radio star.

“‘Stripped’ will offer artists a chance to connect with our devout audience in a brand new way, both on-air and online,” Harrison, executive VP of Clear Channel Radio and head of the company’s Online Music & Radio division said in a statement. “Each ‘Stripped’ session will strip artists to their essence and provide a unique and intimate experience for fans on our stations’ Web sites.”

But Clear Channel is pumping more than just live music over its radio station Web sites. The company plans on “podcasting” clips of its morning radio programs.

Podcasting is one of the more recent buzz words in the online biz and it denotes programs that you can download and listen to on a MP3 player. The fact that it’s called podcasting as opposed to MP3-casting or Digital Jukebox-casting is yet another example of how Apple’s iPod has pretty much become synonymous with personal music players.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Clear Channel hopes to tighten the relationship between listeners and their local radio stations, as well as increase revenue by selling online ads that will appear on the podcasts.

Meanwhile, rumors of people being replaced by podcasts in the tiny Northern Californian town of Santa Mira are just that – rumors. However, it doesn’t hurt to be alert. Oh, yeah, and watch the skies.