MCOM 56 - Introduction to KCRH Radio Experience
MCOM 56 is the second course in KCRH’s five-course radio sequence and moves students from studio fundamentals into day-to-day station operations. Students gain practical experience with on-air hosting and DJing, programming, music automation, audio production, promotions, news, live sports, web streaming, and underwriting.
Students are on air in every course in KCRH’s five-course sequence. MCOM 56 is the second course, where students gain supervised experience operating the console and conducting a radio show.
On air · 2nd course of 5Course format
4 total units: 2 lecture units and 2 laboratory units. Over a full 18-week term, students complete 36 lecture hours and 126 hands-on lab hours—about two lecture hours and seven lab hours each week. The official outline also budgets 72 hours, or about four hours per week, for assignments and preparation outside class.
Lab and on-air shifts
On-air shifts are assigned in two-hour blocks. Students are expected to complete at least one shift each week. Station hours follow Chabot College’s hours of operation.
What you’ll do
Operate on-air studio equipment, follow a station format, develop an on-air persona, plan and conduct a radio show, work with music automation and web streaming, and review air-checks. Students also produce station liners and public service announcements and may contribute to programming, promotions, news, live sports, and underwriting.
Good to know
MCOM 50: Radio Studio Techniques is strongly recommended and serves as the first course in the sequence. MCOM 56 has no formal prerequisite or corequisite, is letter-grade only, and is transferable to the CSU system. A grade of C or better in MCOM 56 is required to continue to MCOM 57: KCRH Radio Leadership Experience.
The official outline lists a USB drive and access to radio and the Internet as course materials. Section meeting patterns and lab arrangements can vary, so check Chabot’s current class schedule before registering.