Rani Molla

Photo courtesy of Alyssa Ringler

Rani Molla is senior data reporter at Recode and Vox and the co-host of Land of the Giants: The Netflix Effect, a longform narrative podcast about the history, present and future of Netflix. Follow her on Twitter here.

How has making a series about Netflix changed how you feel about Netflix?
It can be easy to take Netflix for granted because it's a technology we've gotten used to, it's simple and it just works. Making this podcast has made me stop to appreciate how revolutionary it was to have video entertainment delivered to us so easily — first to our mailboxes and then, better, directly to our screens. Underlying that seemingly simple service is lots of technological consideration that's all the more impressive because it doesn't ask that we notice it.

What kind of person will like this series?
Hopefully, this podcast will appeal to both business and lay readers alike. For those who have followed every step of Netflix's journey, there are new interviews with people in and outside Netflix that should broaden their understanding of the company. For normal people who simply have a Netflix account, we explore all these fascinating facets of the company, from its cult-like culture where your coworkers are supposed to constantly criticize you for the benefit of the company to how Netflix decides what movies — and even what artwork — to show you, and whether we're seeing tons of Netflix Originals because they're something we'd want to watch or because it's better for the company.

How will this series be different than previous seasons of Land of the Giants?
Each season is about a different FAANG company (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and Google), so the subject is inherently different. It's also created by a different group of people, so this iteration, hosted by me and Peter Kafka and produced by Bridget Armstrong and Zach Mach, will have our own personal stamp. I think our particular group is lots of fun and it shows.

What's the secret to conducting a great podcast interview?
Finding smart people to talk to about a subject both you and they have genuine curiosity about. 

Can you tease something super awesome about the series that will get us really excited about it?
In March, right before coronavirus made it so that we weren't allowed to leave our apartments, we flew to Netflix's studios in LA, where we got to talk to a lot of people inside the company, including CEO Reed Hastings and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. Getting that access was amazing and should be a treat for listeners.

Why are you a great person to tell this story?
I don't actually watch that much stuff and, before doing this podcast, I didn't know that much about how Hollywood operated. I've often found as a journalist it can be better to come at topics from a clean slate because your questions aren't colored by the way everyone else already understands the topic. That lens is also a nice way to introduce unfamiliar topics to regular people. And my co-host Peter has covered this stuff for years, so it sets up an odd-couple dynamic that's more fun than just a couple of experts telling you what to think.

There are few women podcasters, even fewer women of color. What can we do about that?
It's pretty simple: If you're in a management position at a media company, hire more women podcasters of color (also for every position). If you're an employee, you can demand that your boss do so. We're beyond the point of having to explain why it's important to have representation in media. We're at the place where action is necessary.

Did you get any podcasting advice from other Vox podcasters? What did they say?
I learned a ton from my co-host Peter, who's a veteran podcaster. The advice I got from him largely amounted to "be natural/be yourself/pretend we're having a regular conversation." Of course, all that is harder to do when you know you're being recorded and have an audience, but when I could forget I probably did some of my best work. 

If you were going to make another podcast, don't worry about the logistics or whether or not anyone would like it. What would it be?
I'm a big fan of a good interview podcast. They should be easy because as a journalist I interview people for a living. But conducting an interview for public consumption that feels compelling and complete is an artform that I'd like to get better at.

Women in podcasting are constantly being criticized for their voices. What is your relationship to yours? How would you describe your voice?
I have a great radio voice that is beyond criticism. It calms babies, slays dragons and clearly conveys interview questions.

What podcasts do you listen to? Do you listen to them as part of your research?
My podcast diet is similar to my Netflix diet: I look for stuff that's soothing and educational. My favorite podcasts lately have been Articles of Interest, Anthropocene Reviewed and The Memory Palace. Researching for this podcast, of course, I listened to anything and everything about Netflix.  

Thanks, Rani!