Lesson Plan

• Describe the key characteristics and historical development of radio and podcasts.
• Explain the production workflow and differentiate the stages for each medium.
• Analyse audience demographics, psychographics and behavioural patterns for radio and podcasts.
• Apply media theories (e.g., Uses & Gratifications, Agenda‑Setting) to evaluate audio texts.
• Compare the regulatory and commercial contexts of radio versus podcasts.

• Projector and screen
• Speakers for audio playback
• Sample audio clips (radio news segment and a popular podcast episode)
• Handout with production‑stage comparison table
• Audience analysis worksheet
• Laptops/tablets for quick research
• Exam‑question rubric and mark‑scheme outline

Begin by playing a short podcast excerpt followed by a live radio news bite. Ask students to note immediate differences in delivery and feel. Link this to their prior knowledge of broadcast and on‑demand media, then outline the success criteria: identify production stages, compare audiences, and apply theory to evaluate effectiveness.

1. Starter – Play clips & discuss differences (5')
2. Mini‑lecture: definitions, timeline of radio & podcast history (10')
3. Group activity: map production workflow for radio vs podcast using handout (15')
4. Audience analysis task – complete demographic/psychographic worksheet (10')
5. Theory spotlight – brief overview of Uses & Gratifications & Agenda‑Setting; apply to a case study (10')
6. Exam practice – outline answer to sample question using mark scheme (5')
7. Recap & exit ticket – write one advantage of podcasts over radio (5')

Summarise the main similarities and differences in production, audience, and commercial contexts of radio and podcasts. Collect exit tickets to gauge understanding, then assign homework: research a local radio station and a podcast, and write a short comparative paragraph highlighting audience reach and production style.