Archita Mittra Last updated: April 7, 2023

The Top 6 Business English Radio Programs for Up-to-date Language Skills

Radio doesn’t just keep you up-to-date on what’s going on—it can keep your English skills up-to-date, too.

Today, you can listen to programs specifically focused on business news and business language skills. And you can get them online, anytime, anywhere.

Here is how to do it, plus six great business English radio and podcast programs you can start listening to today!

Why Is the Radio Useful for Business English Learners?
6 Best Business English Radio Resources for Language Learners
How to Make the Most of Radio Listening

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Why Is the Radio Useful for Business English Learners?

It makes for great time management: You can listen to the radio anytime, anywhere and for however long you want. As we will discuss below, even 30 minutes a day is useful.

It takes less effort on your part, yet delivers results: There is no teacher to connect with, no homework to complete, no deadlines to meet. You just have to show up every day and switch on the radio. Even when you write and review your notes, you can do it your way and there is no one to make fun of your handwriting.

You can do it while you travel or when you are stuck in traffic: Whether you are commuting or waiting at the airport for a delayed flight, you can use your time productively by tuning into a radio station. All you need is an eager mind and good quality headphones.

Your speaking and listening skills will automatically improve: You will hear correct pronunciation and different English accents. You will hear essential words for general business and specific industries. Your business English vocabulary and sentence construction will dramatically improve, so job interviews, presentations, project briefings and networking events will all become super easy to you. Tackling a conference call will no longer be a nightmare.

The radio will also teach you how to notice subtle changes in voice modulation. Intent listening will tell you a lot about the speaker’s background and culture.

You will learn more than just language skills: Unlike some other audio resources, radio channels are usually centered on the latest news. So this is a very good way to stay up-to-date on whatever is happening in the business world and even impress your colleagues.

Meanwhile, listening to interviews of CEOs or business executives will teach you a lot about the nitty gritty (essential details) of the business field and it will help you to be better at your job. You will also learn to differentiate between standard English and business English, and know which to speak when.

6 Best Business English Radio Resources for Language Learners

Authentic Business English Radio

You can always tune into a radio at home or in your car, or you can access a wide variety of radio stations via the internet, tailored to your needs. The links below will send you to websites and apps where you can start streaming the radio stations instantly online.

All of these radio stations are authentic English stations, in other words, they are broadcast for a native English-speaking audience. That means you will be hearing business English the way it is used in real life.

CNBC Business Report

CNBC is an authority when it comes to international business. The CNBC Business Report is a bite-sized (short; easy-to-digest) twice hourly report on the latest happenings in the business world. It is a great tool to ensure that you are always updated on the most recent and important happenings in the world of finance and business.

The link above will take you to the radio show on TuneIn, an app you can use to listen to live radio anywhere. I especially recommend you catch the CNBC Business Report’s morning broadcast to start each day with important news and business English practice.

“In Business” from BBC Radio 4

Knowing business English will take you places. If you have always wanted to cultivate that authentic British accent, you might try tuning into BBC Radio 4, including their business-focused programming, “In Business.”

“In Business” covers a wide-range of topics that are relevant to both small businesses and large corporations. Recent coverage includes everything from the Russian economy, to the future of the electric car industry, to mental health in the workplace.

Bloomberg Radio

Bloomberg Radio is an international 24-hour radio station exclusively related to business. You can listen to Bloomberg Radio by directly streaming from their website or by downloading their app (scroll down to the “How to listen” section of the page linked above).

This radio station is especially useful because in addition to business news reports, they also feature interviews with executives and analysts. That means you get to hear a wide range of accents and speaking styles, along with essential insights from big names in the world of business.

Programs Created for Business English Learners

Listening to authentic business English radio is vital to becoming fluent, but you may also benefit from resources specifically designed for business English learners. The podcasts below are similar to radio shows, but they are pre-recorded (not broadcast live) and intended for language learners (not a native English-speaking audience).

They make a great addition to authentic radio programs for well-rounded business English listening practice.

“Down to Business English”

This podcast is designed to help you learn English through business news. Each episode consists of an in-depth discussion of business related news and headlines, through which the listener learns new words and phrases related to their line of work.

The hosts choose topics wisely and provide a lot of variety. From the business side of Marvel comics to key developments in Saudi Arabia, this podcast is a must-listen to keep up with international trends.

“Down to Business” offers its most recent episode for free so you can try it out. If you like what you hear, you can become a member and access all episodes. You will also get audio scripts so you can read along.

“Business English Pod”

This is one of the best podcasts focused on business English learning. They have over 400 lessons that cover every aspect of Business English, including presentations, interviews, telephone calls or simply decoding office jargon. Try to listen to an episode every day!

They also have online courses and even special benefits for members, such as PDF transcripts, online quizzes and access to greater resources.

“100 Percent Business English”

This podcast is hosted by Paul Urwin, an entrepreneur with experience in language teaching. Each episode covers a specific aspect of business English, be it phrasal verbs, American culture or even dress codes. The podcast also features guest speakers.

Each episode packs in a lot of information, so you may want to replay an episode or listen to a little at a time. If you need advice from the experts about any workplace issue, give this one a listen.

How to Make the Most of Radio Listening

Before you start learning, it is important to know how to make the most of this resource. Just follow the tips below:

Take notes while you are listening

Whether you are listening to the local news or a heated debate (rigorous/impassioned debate), it is important to stay focused and give your undivided attention to it.

Taking notes is the best way to do this. It will help you notice words or phrases that you do not know, and confirm that you understood the main points of the discussion.

Listen for a fixed period of time every day

You have to make sure your ears are attuned to the English language. Business English should not sound unfamiliar or difficult to you. So make it a point to turn on the radio every day and listen to it closely for 15 to 30 minutes at a time.

Listening for longer is perfectly fine, but there is a chance your attention might wander or you might get overwhelmed.

Review what you have listened to

After listening to a radio segment, ask yourself, what have I learned from this session? Perhaps you learned to pronounce a familiar word in a different way, or you found a better way of introducing yourself at networking events—whatever it is, note it down so you will not forget it.

Make sure to also re-listen to parts of the audio you did not understand the first time. Don’t just skip over them!

Practice further with other English media

It’s also good practice to apply what you heard on the radio to other English media that isn’t just audio, such as texts or videos. For example, you can read an English book and see if you can spot a phrase you heard on the radio. You can watch an English video and pay attention to any familiar vocabulary, and see or copy how native speakers are using it in context.

Like radio, business English texts and videos are easy to find online. There are also language programs that can give you learning practice with authentic media.

For example, FluentU uses English videos made for and by native speakers, including business-related clips. Each video has interactive subtitles that explain the words and expressions used, and personalized quizzes are offered so that you can practice listening to, writing and speaking vocabulary.

Overall, being attentive and diligent are key in making sure that your radio studies aren’t just everyday listening sessions. With these tips, you can make certain that your English skills improve in general.

So go ahead. Go to any of the above-mentioned radio stations or podcasts and start listening.

And once you are done, think about the experience.

Try to remember what you have just heard and learned.

Make this into a daily habit and your knowledge of the business world as well as your business English skills will improve by leaps and bounds.