“Ya Filthy Animal”: Romanian Media Formation and Press Freedoms, 1992-2005
Romania in the 1990s: the Wild West of European journalism – who even knows who the sheriff is (or who elects them)? From an irate Illiescu to a prosecutor's office investigating prostitution in flagrante, Romanian journalists had to cover the dismantling of communism, elections, oligarchs, and corruption – all while hoping they didn’t get locked up. And, of course, ensure that any corruption that their own oligarch owners engaged in was never discovered. Competing conglomerates, new markets and mediums, and, by the way, we’ve never defined freedom of the press, ya filthy animal will cover the politics of free speech and media companies as journalists battle for market share, scoops and their freedom. Committee begins in 1992 and delegates, representing the different media conglomerates and outlets, will have to decide whether they want to be all the presidents' men, or expose them. By the way, he just called a journalist an animal. Do you generate alpha for your oligarch or actual news? How will you uncover whether something is rotten is Translyvania? Are you competitors trying to become as powerful as Fox News or the New York Times, or should you be collaborating to ensure that you do not suffer the same fate a Ceaucescu? Ya filthy animals will challenge delegate to explore Romanian politics, business, society, and free speech as they compete to become the best news person in the nation…or who knows what else. All we can promise is that if its fit to print – we will break it.
becca sealy
Chair
Becca Sealy is a fourth-year in the College, double majoring in Public Policy Studies and Mathematics. As a native Floridian, Becca is still struggling to adjust to Chicago winters, but at least the snow is pretty! In previous ChoMUNs, Becca has been the Coordinating Crisis Director for “JCC, Wasted in the Windy City: The Chicago Outfit vs. The Northside Gang,” the Experienced Assistant Chair for “The King’s Cornered, and Now He’s On The Run(nymede): Magna Carta 1215,” and an Assistant Chair for “Mr. Gorbachev, I Don’t Feel So Good: USSR 1984.” Outside of MUN, Becca conducts public policy and sociology research with the Paul Douglas Institute and one of her professors, and she spends too much time doing math homework. In her free time, she loves to go rock climbing, hang out on the quad in her hammock, read books (Babel is her favorite), and obsessively solve crosswords.
For questions, comments, or concerns about the committee or anything else, email Becca at rsealy@uchicago.edu.
nicholas Polansky
Crisis Director
Nicholas is a fourth-year majoring in Global Studies and Economics with a focus on development and industrial policy. A real shocker for MUN – he grew up in the DC suburbs (Bethesda) before coming to UChicago. Nicholas has been involved with ChoMUN since his first year serving as an Assistant Chair for The Lion in Winter: The Court of Henry II, 1180, a Chair for State of Terror: The Most Serene Republic of Venice, 1508 and a Chair for JCC Wasted in the Windy City: Al Capone, the Chicago Outfit and Prohibition in Chicago, 1926. Outside of ChoMUN, he is involved with a consulting club and the Institute of Politics. When Nicholas is not MUNing, consulting, or politicking, he enjoys exploring Chicago (both its day and night) with his friends, bike rides on the Lakeshore Trail, photography and cooking.
If you have any questions about either an irate Iliescu or the total lack of free speech guarantees you all enjoy: email-i la (email him at) nicholaspolansky@uchicago.edu.
Audrey rogerson
Crisis Director
Audrey is a fourth-year majoring in Law, Letters, and Society and Cinema and Media Studies, and was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. She is obsessed with her dog, Astro, the TV show New Girl, and the dio-transferred technicolor technique used in Suspiria (1977). Since everyone asks, Audrey has been to the first Starbucks, and she has met Bill Gates (once) in an embarrassing incident that involved him asking her why she wasn’t wearing any shoes, and her answering, “Because they hurt my feet.” (In her defense, she was 12 years old) Audrey has a ton of Seattle-based recommendations that she is happy to share with prospective visitors, for instance, the avocado matcha smoothie is the best drink at Happy Lemon and the giant poke bowls from 45th Stop N Shop are a must-try. If you’re into nature, Audrey’s favorite place to trail run and explore in Seattle is Discovery Park, a 534-acre forest on the waterfront. Last year, Audrey was an Assistant Chair of the JCC, “Wasted in the Windy City: Al Capone, The Chicago Outfit, and Prohibition in Chicago, 1926.” In her limited free time, Audrey enjoys going for runs, finding and exploring secret tunnels, drawing, baking, editing films, playing cello, and staying at the reg after hours.
If you have any questions comments or concerns and aren’t on campus to track Audrey down in the stacks of Regenstein Library (where she regrettably spends a significant amount of her time) feel free to email her at audreyrogerson@uchicago.edu
Secretariat oversight:
aoife stapleton, Under-Secretary-General