Podcasting assignment in newswriting

I've been struggling on what kind of podcasting assignment to give my beginning newswriting students. This is the first semester I'm going to try something and I'm still at a loss on what exactly to have them do. The purpose is to introduce them to podcasting, but how to do it is a mystery.

Complicating the matter is the fact that we've got so little time left in the class and I want them to concentrate on the the City Council assignment. Bam! Why not have them do a podcast on the City Council assignment? It can be about the story. It can be about writing the story. The result is not something we'll likely actually publish, but the process can take place.