That’s why Clear Channel’s latest Web venture is gathering media traction. The largest radio chain in the free world recently announced a beta launch of Videos On Demand, a venture that just might make their radio Web properties as vital for listeners as the stations themselves. What’s more is that each station will select artists to feature on its Web site, thus providing a certain degree of uniqueness that’s often seen lacking in radio (and radio Web sites) these days.

But Clear Channel’s Video On Demand feature is more than just clicking, listening and watching. Web surfers will be able to vote for their favorite vids in features such as “Video Challenge” as well as browse other features, such as the “Top 10 Video List” and “DJ’s Favorite Pick.”

Of course, your usual Radio / Web staples, such as cross promotion between transmitter and Web, will also play an important part.

Since this is a Clear Channel venture, there are plenty of potential revenue streams involved, with the most obvious being that each video will have a “Buy CD” link as well as 15 second ad avails. But there will also be a “Share Video” viral component that allows viewers to distribute links to the videos among their friends, thus working the audience word-of-mouth promotion.

Clear Channel’s Video On Demand, which launched January 10th, is on 16 radio station Web sites in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Washington, D.C., and St. Louis, and will expand throughout the country during the year.

“As our audience grows, we must grow with them,” said Evan Harrison, Executive VP of Clear Channel Radio and head of the company’s Online Music & Radio unit. “We see Videos On Demand as a powerful complement to our on-air programming and the next natural step in serving our audience’s growing appetite for on-demand content.”