Predicting the Winner: The Untold Story of Election Night 1952 and the Dawn of Computer Forecasting

About this event

Community Room. Join Ira Chinoy as he talks about the surprising history of the way computers made their way into the election-night spectacle of forecasting winners. The talk takes us back to 1952 when these then-futuristic machines and television news were both brand new, and when combining them was a big gamble for the nascent TV networks. His recent book on this topic—Predicting the Winner: The Untold Story of Election Night 1952 and the Dawn of Computer Forecasting—won the American Historical Association’s 2025 Prize for Journalism History. Chinoy is also an award-winning educator and journalist, and will provide a window into the way historians work by detailing his treasure hunt for primary sources scattered across the country. He will also talk about why this story is relevant today as we grapple with unintended consequences of the combination of technology and democracy that began back on election night in 1952. Henrietta Public Library is committed to creating inclusive and accessible events. To request a reasonable accommodation or discuss your needs, please fill out the box on the registration form and/or contact hpladultservices@libraryweb.org or call the library at 359-7092.

Description from hpl.libcal.com