---
title: "Who Is Michael J. Berman? The Co‑Founder Behind JFK Jr.’s Magazine George"
date: 2026-03-21
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/2026/03/21/who-is-michael-j-berman/
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "World"
tags:
  - "1990s media"
  - "George magazine"
  - "John F. Kennedy Jr."
  - "Michael J. Berman"
  - "Ryan Murphy"
---

# Who Is Michael J. Berman? The Co‑Founder Behind JFK Jr.’s Magazine George

Ryan Murphy’s FX series Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr & Carolyn Bessette has sent viewers back to the 1990s and renewed interest in George, the political-lifestyle magazine launched by John F. Kennedy Jr. and his college friend Michael J. Berman. The show’s spotlight has revived curiosity about Berman’s role in creating a glossy experiment that combined politics and celebrity culture.

## What Happened

The recent television portrayal of John F. Kennedy Jr. in Ryan Murphy’s series has prompted audiences and commentators to revisit the story of George magazine and the people who launched it. Michael J. Berman, who met Kennedy as an undergraduate at Brown University, co-founded George with JFK Jr. in 1995. According to contemporaneous accounts, Berman sold his stake in the magazine and left in 1997, departing amid disagreements that were widely reported at the time.

## Background

George was conceived in the mid-1990s as a hybrid publication that aimed to bring politics into the glossy, personality-driven pages more commonly reserved for celebrity and lifestyle coverage. At its launch, the magazine drew attention because of Kennedy’s high-profile name and Berman’s involvement as a co-founder. The title sought to make political coverage accessible and stylish, marrying interviews and policy discussions with the visual sensibilities of mainstream magazines.

The partnership between Kennedy and Berman dated back to their undergraduate days at Brown University, where they established a personal and professional connection that led to the magazine venture. George’s approach reflected a broader 1990s media trend of blending entertainment and public affairs, a template that has continued to evolve in the decades since.

## Why It Matters

The renewed attention to Michael J. Berman and George matters on several levels. First, it underscores how contemporary storytelling—through high-profile television series and documentaries—reshapes public memory of media ventures and the figures behind them. For readers in Panama and Latin America, the George story is a reminder of how media formats that mix politics and popular culture can influence civic conversation and political branding.

Second, George’s experiment in packaging political discourse for a broader, celebrity-focused audience foreshadowed current media strategies that blend personality and policy. That blending has global resonance: across the Americas, political communication increasingly draws on celebrity, lifestyle imagery and entertainment formats to reach voters and mobilize attention. The legacy of ventures like George helps explain contemporary choices by politicians, media entrepreneurs and marketers who seek to bridge journalism and show business.

Finally, the personal dynamics between founders can determine the trajectory of media startups. Berman’s departure in 1997, after only a short period as co-owner, highlights how editorial or managerial disagreements can rapidly alter even high-profile projects. The episode serves as a case study for media professionals and entrepreneurs in the region about the fragility of partnerships and the importance of aligning vision, governance and editorial control from the outset.

While the spotlight brought by Love Story has reintroduced George to a new generation, the magazine’s story remains a concise episode in 1990s media history: notable for its ambition, shaped by high-profile personalities, and illustrative of the ongoing interplay between politics and popular culture.