Expert Advice: St. Pete Times, Tim Nickens, Visits USF

As Editor of the St. Pete Times' editorial page, Tim Nickens is a busy man. Nevertheless, he found time to visit the University of South Florida and speak with a classroom full of Mass Communication majors.

Nickens stopped by the Public Affairs Reporting class Tuesday to assist students in their quest to learn more about obtaining public records and to speak about Florida's sunshine laws.

The Sunshine Laws, as Nickens explained, are the strongest in the country. In Florida we tend to wonder "Why a record is closed" as opposed to why it is open, he said.

However, he stressed that, despite limited restriction on public records, they are not always easy to find. There are roadblocks that can get in the way.

"Even though they are public, you gotta know where to look," he said. He cited the example of property appraisals, which can be found online or at the county courthouse.

Many records can be found online, but the large majority must be obtained from a particular venue. When a reporter attends a physical venue to locate particular information, there are few restrictions on what they can obtain; however, there are stipulations that are in place.

For example, clerks charge 15 cents per page for printing documents. They may charge more if they deem necessary. It is in their power to add the hourly rate of the lowest paid employmee performing the search and print task, to the overall fee.

Another problem is that local institutions, such as courthouses, may not be familiar with the laws. When a journalist runs into this, they may end up spending hours, simply trying to prove that they have the rights to the documents.

Despite these and other issues, Nickens assured students that there is a "surprising amount" of records available to the public. Public records can be the greatest tool that a journalist has at his or her disposal, and Nickens stressed the importance of honing this skill.

The St. Pete Times editor referenced real-life situations to shed light on the importance of public records to a journalist. Using the example of Ray Sanson, a formerly bright and shining political star, he explained how solid researching skills can help to police the politicians around us and to make a huge impact on our world.

After viewing certain records, it became clear to a certain journalist that Sanson was up to no good. The journalist delved deeper into Sanson's past and came up with incriminating evidence that the money that Sanson was supposed to be spending on certain projects, was actually being spent elsewhere, at the request of influential individuals.

Using stories like this, Nickens highlighted the essential nature of developing one's public records hunting skills.

Receiving a round of applause, Nickens thanked the class for their attention and for welcoming him to be a participant.