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TONY GEORGE RELENTS, RETURNS MEDIA CREDENTIAL TO ED HINTON

          Amid "the mounting threat of a media boycott" of the
     Indy 500, IMS President & IRL Founder Tony George yesterday
     "reinstated the revoked press credentials" of SI Senior
     Writer Ed Hinton, according to Michael Vega of the BOSTON
     GLOBE.  George reversed his decision, but did not back down
     from criticizing Hinton's coverage: "I'm not a communist,
     and I respect the Constitution and understand freedom, but
     this really has nothing to do with that.  It's because I
     really believe he does the sport a disservice.  He's a
     danger to himself, and it's my job to move the sport forward
     and not be a party to its demise."  APSE President Bob Yates
     said he believes the Chicago Tribune's threat of a boycott,
     "compounded with what they heard from some sports editors,
     may have had an impact on what [the IRL] did.  I'm glad they
     came to their senses."  George, asked if pulling credentials
     "smacked of censorship": "I don't go and pull the plug on
     presses.  This is private property.  Those credentials are
     not a constitutional right.  They are a privilege" (BOSTON
     GLOBE, 5/21).  In Indianapolis, Curt Cavin writes that "many
     of the nation's largest newspapers" were "prepared to
     withdraw their" reporters from the Indy 500 if George "did
     not back down."  The Chicago Tribune and Houston Chronicle
     both pulled their reporters on Wednesday, but "changed their
     minds" after George's move.  George said he "doesn't plan to
     speak to Hinton" when he arrives at IMS: "My hope is that I
     never see him again. ... I'll stop short of calling the guy
     a jerk."  George added that IMS and the IRL have "canceled"
     their advertising with SI (INDY STAR-NEWS, 5/21).
          HINTON SPEAKS: Hinton, on how the incident will reflect
     his coverage of the IRL: "As far as I see, the event,
     unfortunately, is in rapid decline.  I'm not going to back
     off that point of view just because of this little hiccup in
     the logistic situation occurred" ("Sports Tonight," 5/20).  
          BACKFIRE: In Nashville, Larry Woody writes that George
     "let his anger overrule his reason."  Woody: "[George]
     should have realized that 1) he couldn't manage the media,
     no matter how much he disagreed with some of its action; and
     2) by banning SI, much-needed coverage in a major national
     outlet would have been denied" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/21). 
     In Atlanta, columnist Mark Schlabach gives George a "thumbs
     down" for his actions and calls the situation a PR
     "nightmare for the race" (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 5/21).  In
     Boston, Howard Manly writes that the "cost of [Hinton's]
     reinstatement to the IRL boss was the national revelation
     that George isn't the god he thinks he is."  Manly: "George
     sorely needs lessons in marketing.  Better yet, let's just
     ignore the IRL all together -- at least until the next
     tragedy" (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/21).  In Indianapolis, Robin
     Miller: "George and [IRL] public relations director Mai
     Lindstrom need to invest in a rule book.  Because they just
     don't get it" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR-NEWS, 5/21).  In Chicago,
     Ed Sherman writes that George "now knows how the media
     works, and that collectively it is capable of making a
     strong statement.  He doesn't have to like it, but he has to
     accept it" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/21).  CNN/SI's Vince Cellini:
     "I guess we can put away those 'Free Ed' signs we were going
     to walk around with" ("Sports Tonight," CNN, 5/20).  

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