Mass Communications
20 courses · Chabot College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026
MCOM 9 Colloquium-Mass Communications
- Units
- 1
- Hours
- 18 Lecture, 18 Lab
Exploration in interdepartmental collaboration between Journalism, Radio and Television. Experience in working on cross-platform projects in content creation. Designing material for newspaper, radio and television. Learning production techniques for newspaper, radio and television. Discussions may include programming philosophies, formatting content for specific media, marketing, promotions, news and sports.
MCOM 20 Introduction to Journalism Reporting and News Writing
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture, 18 Lab
- Advisory
- ENGL C1000 (Formerly ENGL 1)
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course is an introduction to gathering, synthesizing/organizing, and writing news in journalistic style across multiple platforms. Topics include the role of the journalist and related legal and ethical issues. Students will report and write based on their original interviews and research to produce news content. Experiences may include covering speeches, meetings, and other events, writing under deadline, and using AP Style.
MCOM 21 Newspaper Production I
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 18 Lecture, 126 Lab
- Advisory
- MCOM 20, ENGL C1000 (Formerly ENGL 1)
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course focuses on writing the student-produced school newspaper, The Spectator, and its online version, spectator.news, as a practical laboratory that creates a journalistic product for distribution to a college and community audience. Students will work primarily in the following areas: researching, writing, and editing articles for the publication; taking photographs and creating graphic illustrations; developing multimedia stories or designing pages. This course includes practical experience in design/layout, visual, online, multimedia journalism, and emerging technologies.
MCOM 22 Newspaper Production II
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 18 Lecture, 126 Lab
- Prerequisite
- MCOM 21
- Advisory
- MCOM 20, ENGL C1000 (Formerly ENGL 1)
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course focuses on intermediate writing the student-produced school newspaper, The Spectator, and its online version, spectator.news, as a practical laboratory that creates a journalistic product for distribution to a college and community audience. Students will work primarily in the following areas: researching, writing, and editing articles for the publication; taking photographs and creating graphic illustrations; developing multimedia stories or designing pages and mentorship. This course includes practical experience in design/layout, visual, online, multimedia journalism, emerging technologies, and editorial mentorship.
MCOM 23 Newspaper Production III
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 18 Lecture, 126 Lab
- Prerequisite
- MCOM 22
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course focuses on advanced writing the student-produced school newspaper, The Spectator, and its online version, spectator.news, as a practical laboratory that creates a journalistic product for distribution to a college and community audience. Students will work primarily in the following areas: researching, writing, and editing articles for the publication; taking photographs and creating graphic illustrations; developing multimedia stories or designing pages and leadership. This course includes practical experience in design/layout, visual, online, multimedia journalism, emerging technologies, and editorial leadership.
MCOM 26 Introduction to Photojournalism
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 18 Lecture, 126 Lab
- Advisory
- PHOT 53A or PHOT 50, MCOM 20
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course focuses on photography for the student-produced school newspaper, The Spectator, and its online version, spectator.news. This course deals with the photographer as a journalist, focusing on theory and practice in press and publications photography, emphasizing the camera as a reporting and communications tool. Covered are news and feature photography and photographic essays, including composition, impact, and creativity, for newspapers, the Internet, and other mass communications media.
MCOM 40 Introduction to Broadcasting
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture, 18 Lab
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Introduces the history, theory, structure, function, economics, content and evolution of radio, television, film, the Internet, new media and their impact on culture and society. Includes, technological development, programming, ratings, legal aspects, and political and social control of broadcasting in America, and cross-cultural, international comparisons. Regulatory, ethical and occupational impact of the electronic media are also studied.
MCOM 41 Introduction to Mass Communications
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture, 18 Lab
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Survey of the interrelationships of media with society including history, structure and trends in a digital age. Discussion of theories and effects, economics, technology, law and ethics, global media, media literacy, and social issues, including gender and cultural diversity.
MCOM 42 Writing for Broadcasting
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture, 18 Lab
- Advisory
- ENGL C1000 (Formerly ENGL 1)
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Techniques of writing for radio, television, film and electronic media; script writing in proper formats, including fundamental technical, conceptual and stylistic issues related to writing fiction and non-fiction scripts for informational and entertainment purposes. Includes a writing evaluation component as a significant part of the course requirement.
MCOM 43 Advertising Sales & Media Management
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture, 18 Lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
Introduction to media advertising sales, including research, sales presentation, and airing of the commercial campaign. Media managerial objectives and procedures, including leadership, motivation, dealing with personnel and operations problems; and managing departments within media organizations.
MCOM 44 Radio & Television Announcing
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture, 18 Lab
- Transfers to
- CSU, UC
Developing skills in projection of personality, vocal performance and pronunciation necessary for communication of ideas in radio and television broadcasting under studio circumstances. Activities will equip students in understanding and developing themselves as integrated physiological, social, and psychological media personalities.
MCOM 50 Radio Studio Techniques
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 54 Lecture, 18 Lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
Introductory course in theory and application of audio production techniques for radio. Students will gain a basic understanding of audio equipment in both live and pre-recorded broadcasting. This includes recording equipment, mixers, digital audio production, radio program formats, broadcast writing and announcing skills.
MCOM 56 Introduction to KCRH Radio Experience
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 36 Lecture, 126 Lab
- Advisory
- MCOM 50
- Transfers to
- CSU
Introduction to practical experience in KCRH radio station operations. Radio programming content, music automation systems, audio production techniques, promotions, news, live sports, and underwriting sales will be explored. Development of on-air, talent, DJ, host and web streaming will be emphasized.
MCOM 57 KCRH Radio Leadership Experience
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 Lecture, 72 Lab
- Prerequisite
- MCOM 56
- Transfers to
- CSU
Leadership experience in KCRH radio station operations. Skills in performing appropriate station departmental leadership duties, planning meetings, organizing duties and responsibilities, as well as maintaining necessary station logs will be developed. Aptitudes in programming, music, audio production techniques, promotions, news, live sports, and underwriting sales will be furthered. Explaining KCRH operations and mentoring new students will be emphasized.
MCOM 58 Intermediate KCRH Radio Experience
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 Lecture, 72 Lab
- Prerequisite
- MCOM 57
- Transfers to
- CSU
Intermediate practical experience in KCRH radio station operations. On-air studio equipment operation and troubleshooting, radio programming and format philosophies, music rotation automation software, audio production techniques, promotions, news, live sports, and underwriting sales will be taught. The hierarchical organization structure of departments in radio and their functions will be utilized in operating KCRH. Experience in broadcast operation of KCRH-FM.
MCOM 59 Advanced KCRH Radio Experience
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 Lecture, 72 Lab
- Prerequisite
- MCOM 58
- Transfers to
- CSU
Advanced practical experience in KCRH radio station operations. Leadership skills in running departments in the station organizational hierarchy will be developed. Skill in remote, on-location events where DJ equipment will be assembled for entertaining audiences and promoting KCRH will be broadened. Federal Communications Commission rules and regulations will be explored. Further development of programming, music, audio production, promotions, news, live sports, and underwriting sales department skills will be emphasized.
MCOM 60 Beginning TV Studio Production
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 Lecture, 72 Lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
This course introduces the theory, terminology, and operation of a multi-camera television studio and control room. Topics include studio signal flow, directing, theory and operation of camera and audio equipment, switcher operation, fundamentals of lighting, graphics, video control, video recording, and real-time video production.
MCOM 61 Television Studio Techniques II
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 Lecture, 72 Lab
- Transfers to
- CSU
Further experience in television studio operations, control room procedures, and program production. Designed to advance skills in operating television equipment, producing and directing television programs.
MCOM 68 KCTH Television Experience
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 Lecture, 54 Lab
- Prerequisite
- MCOM 60
- Advisory
- MCOM 61
- Transfers to
- CSU
Practical experience in television production and programming.
MCOM 69 KCTH Television Experience II
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 36 Lecture, 54 Lab
- Prerequisite
- MCOM 60
- Advisory
- MCOM 68
- Transfers to
- CSU
Advanced practical experience in television production and programming.