RTL Nederland’s second annual Content Event took place at a unique pop-up location just outside of Amsterdam on 30 September 2024. During the event, which welcomed employees, the media, local celebrities and other external guests, RTL Nederland presented its ambitions and future plans – with a particular focus on streaming service Videoland.

Sven Sauvé, CEO of RTL Nederland, says: “10 years ago, RTL Nederland embarked on its biggest adventure since its foundation 35 years ago: We launched Videoland. Today, with almost 1.5 million paying subscribers, we are the undisputed second-most-popular streaming service and are making a profit. This puts Videoland on the list of digital success stories in the Netherlands. And because our fans deserve the very best, we want to grow to the number one position. As far as I am concerned, Videoland's growth does not have to be RTL's success story alone. Working together and innovating together means we all win – and we have the power to create a new horizon for the Dutch media landscape, so that the viewer always has a strong, recognisable platform where local content plays the leading role.”

Ellen van den Berghe, Chief Marketing Officer at RTL Nederland, says: “Our biggest dream is that everyone in the Netherlands falls a little bit in love with Videoland. 10 years ago, we chose to invest in the best local stories, such as Máxima and Mocro Maffia – stories that are big, ‘talk of the town’ and relatable. With millions of viewers per episode, we have proven our strength. We continue to pioneer and dream big, aiming to build long-term relationships with our fans and capture the number one spot in their hearts.”

Peter van der Vorst, Chief Content Officer at RTL Nederland, says: “At RTL Nederland, we create impact with our titles through a continuous focus on local content. This sets us apart from international competitors and ensures the success of Videoland and our linear channels. We feel a responsibility to have a positive impact on society and we aim for everyone to identify with our content. We feel the Netherlands well – for 35 years now. That is our formula for success, that is where our strength lies and that is what we hold on to."

Promising partnerships

Videoland announced its latest partnership during the RTL Content Event: Dutch multimedia platform StukTV, fronted by Giel de Winter, Thomas van der Vlugt and Stefan Jurriens, will develop new formats for the streaming service. The first programme will be Het Jachtseizoen Most Wanted, in which 15 celebrities flee across the Netherlands for five days. With over 2.5 million subscribers on YouTube, StukTV is the largest online entertainment channel in the Netherlands.

Videoland is also collaborating with three renowned documentary makers: Thomas Brink, who will create a series on regimes considered hostile to the Western world; Monique Nolte, who will create a sequel to Kees Vliegt Uit (Kees flies out); and Danny Ghosen, who will create several documentaries on a variety of topics.

Creating new formats

Together with external producers, the RTL Creative Unit develops exciting new formats such as B&B Vol Liefde (B&B Full of Love) and De Verraders (The Traitors). Two new formats are currently in development: RTL 4 adventure reality programme Pandora’s Box, in which 12 Dutch celebrities embark on an adventure of temptation and revenge on the Mediterranean; and Videoland drama series Narcostad, focusing on the victims of growing drug use in Rotterdam.

Romance and adventure

De Golden Bachelor, which recently launched on M6 and M6+ in France, is coming to Videoland with 73-year-old entrepreneur Gerard, while contestants must decide whether to play for love or for money in Paradise Hotel. Two new adventure reality programmes are also launching on RTL 4 and Videoland: In The Summit, 12 Dutch contestants try to reach the top of a remote mountain in Scandinavia within 12 days, while nine adventures attempt to survive in the Norwegian wilderness in Alone – which launched on RTL+ in Germany earlier this year.

Current events and documentaries

In the run-up to the US elections, RTL Nieuws will keep viewers informed on RTL 4, RTL Z and via the new app and website ‘RTL Nieuws & Entertainment’. With documentaries becoming an important pillar of RTL Nederland’s strategy, director and Gouden Kalf award winner Joost van Ginkel will once again dive into the world of Dutch royals for three-part Videoland documentary series Beatrix. On RTL 4, Humberto Tan en Plekken Om Nooit Te Vergeten (Humberto Tan and Places to Never Forget) will launch next year, in which Humberto will travel to places threatened by climate or animal extinction.

Original Dutch drama

To win the hearts of Dutch people, Videoland will continue to tell stories that are inspired by the Netherlands and made for the Netherlands. RTL Nederland will invest even more in local drama – another key pillar of the streaming service. This includes the sixth season of Gooische Vrouwen (inspired by Desperate Housewives), a newly announced series Onopgelost, in which a criminology professor chooses a group of students to solve cold cases, and nerve-wracking psychological drama The F*ck Faculty, about transgressive behaviour and the abuse of power. The heart-warming series Bennie will focus on the life of an 18-year-old with Down’s syndrome, while filming will start soon for the second season of Máxima, which has been sold to over 30 countries to date – including RTL+ in Germany.