Booth got his start in the newspaper industry as the son-in-law of James E. Scripps (who, in turn, was the older half-brother and one-time partner of E.W.

With his two brothers, George subsequently founded the independent Booth Newspapers (now MLive Media Group), a chain spanning the southern half of Michigan.

They hired noted architect Albert Kahn to design their country manor, Cranbrook House.

As their country estate grew both in purpose and in scale, Booth had both noted architect Eliel Saarinen and renowned sculptor Carl Milles in residence for many years at CEC.

Booth Newspapers (now MLive Media Group) was sold to Advance Publications, a Samuel I. Newhouse property, in 1976.