The winner and new...
by Ib Melchior (1917–2015)
The winner and new... by Ib Melchior is a science fiction short story written in the mid-20th century. It satirizes mass media, consumerism, and politics through a high-stakes television quiz show where knowledge becomes spectacle and the ultimate prize is national power.
A flamboyant emcee hosts a colossal live quiz in a stadium and before a vast TV audience, complete with glamorous ads and a computer that selects questions. The long-reigning champion, a timid philatelist named Monroe, faces a confident challenger, James Burton, who chooses Mars as his category. Sealed in force-fields to prevent any outside help, they trade increasingly difficult questions—ranging from Martian geography and biology to obscure stamp lore—while the tension mounts. After hours, Monroe finally misses a deceptively simple stamp question, his force-field implodes, and he vanishes; the emcee then proclaims Burton “the Winner and New President of the United States,” revealing the show’s chilling premise and the story’s sharp critique of entertainment-driven governance.
- Science fiction
- Short stories
- Television game shows
Read the opening
_We have long been convinced that there is something about science
fantasy which attracts, in electro-magnetic fashion, the brilliant
sons of famous authors, artists, actors, physicians and tenors.
Fritz Leiber, Jr., Manly Wade Wellman, and Samuel Merwin, Jr. are
three writers of distinction in the genre we could mention in this
connection. And now comes Ib Melchior with his second story for us,
to strengthen our conviction quite unshakably. It is both gratifying
to find a pet theory confirmed and to publish a story as unusual as
this by a TV director who can tune in on the future at will!_
=A TV Emcee may assume anything he wishes about the big question
contest lads. But it’s unusual when they know all about Mars!=
“Hello-hello-hello! This is Bob May wishing a wonderful Quizz Night to one and all!”
The effervescent young man came bounding out on the brilliantly lighted stage of the gigantic Capitol Coliseum. The perpetual smile never left his handsome face, but a note of studied sincerity crept into his voice as he continued:
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About this edition
This free edition of The winner and new... by Ib Melchior comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #78073, released 2026-02-28. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer.
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