Larry R. Whiting

Larry R. Whiting

Larry Whiting is professor of agricultural communication at The Ohio State University, Columbus. He teaches about legal and ethical issues in agricultural communication and leads a senior seminar in agricultural communication.

Professor Whiting completed his bachelor's degree in agricultural journalism (1962), master's degree in journalism and mass communication (1976) and doctorate in education (1981) at Iowa State University, Ames.

His prior professional and academic experience includes the following positions:

  • Farm editor of the Spencer Daily Reporter and Sunday Times at Spencer, Iowa (1962-1963)
  • Associate editor and editor of the Dakota Farmer magazine, Aberdeen, South Dakota (1963-1970)
  • Editor of the Iowa Cooperative Extension Service at Iowa State University (1970-1972)
  • Editor for the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) and North Central Regional Center for Rural Development at Iowa State University (1972-1981)
  • Chairman of the Department of Information and Publications in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park (1981-1985)
  • Head of the Communications and Technology Section, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University (1985-2001)

A long-time member of the Association for Communication Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE), Professor Whiting served as president of the international organization during 1990-91. He has co-chaired the Strategic Planning Committee of ACE and reviewed manuscripts for the Journal of Applied Communications. His memberships include Gamma Sigma Delta, agricultural honorary, and Sigma Epsilon Phi, Extension honorary.

His research interests include the "gatekeeper" function of community newspaper editors, adoption of information technology in agricultural and extension communication, and adoption and effectiveness of satellite video conferencing in Extension distance education. Other areas of research interest include agricultural communication history, particularly farm radio broadcasting and farm magazines, and strategic planning for crisis communications.

The Whiting Collection includes documents written and donated by Larry R. Whiting.