Radio and podcast presenting: beginners
Choose a starting date
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
- Start Date: 18 Sep 2025End Date: 23 Oct 2025Thu (Evening): 18:15 - 21:15In PersonLocation: Keeley StreetDuration: 6 sessions (over -6 weeks)Course Code: DMB012Tutors: David SpencerFull fee £249.00 Senior fee £249.00 Concession £174.00
- Start Date: 19 Feb 2026End Date: 26 Mar 2026Thu (Evening): 18:15 - 21:15In PersonLocation: Keeley StreetDuration: 6 sessions (over -6 weeks)Course Code: DMB013Tutors: David SpencerFull fee £249.00 Senior fee £249.00 Concession £174.00
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
Using discussion, exercises and practice to develop an on-air identity for radio and podcast presenting; learning techniques to write, edit and read broadcast text and get it off the page; ad-lib; present with music; read news; interview; how to make a simple package and work towards making a short feature. This course will be delivered in the media studio.
What will we cover?
This course will help you develop a skillset to present in podcast or broadcast.
* Writing and voicing scripts, reading news
* Making pre-recorded features
* Interviewing and knowing what questions to ask guests
* Ad-libbing and talking to your audience
* Building great content.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
Establish and build an on-air identity.
Deliver a news bulletin effectively.
Conduct a radio interview.
Present and produce a package.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
For beginners, through to those with some experience of presentation. In order to get the most from the course you will be able to:
• Speak English fluently and clearly.
• To read a script accurately.
• Give and receive constructive feedback.
• Take notes.
If you are new to voice classes please take a moment to read our
full sequence of voice and speech classes at City Lit (click here) before choosing.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Practical exercises; some preparation between classes may be required. This course will be delivered in the media studio.
As part of the course content, your tutor may record your image for initial and ongoing assessment purposes. You are entitled to decline to participate in the recording of your image.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No. Recorded material MAY be made available via Google Classroom at the end of the course in accordance with our privacy policies and data protection regulations.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Radio Presenting: Improvers. Please refer to our full sequence of voice and speech classes at City Lit as you consider which area you would like to study next.
David Spencer has worked in radio and podcasting since the early 90s, having developed a passion for audio at an early age, doing radio shows for an audience of one in his bedroom! After working as a presenter and journalist in commercial radio for ten years, David became a senior journalist with Sky News Radio, as well as working at Smooth Radio, Classic Gold and BFBS. Since 2012, David has been a lecturer at the University of Westminster, working in radio and journalism courses, including leading modules on speech radio and commercial music radio. As Head of News for Wireless Group from 2017, David helped launch Times Radio, and was the creator of several international podcasts, including the talkSPORT Hit. David’s training work has also seen him provide media coaching to British ambassadors taking up posts around the world and with the British military, including working as an ‘embedded’ journalist with the army in Kenya. His most recent project has been helping Reuters create its first consumer facing podcast, Reuters World News. He has a passion for music and sport and loves mentoring and helping people develop skills.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.