How NPO's Fomo Show turned YouTube into a bridge to its own platform
Dutch Public broadcaster NPO faced a challenge that will sound familiar to many media organisations: younger audiences simply weren't coming to their own platform. Instead of waiting for them to show up, NPO went to where they already were, on third party platforms, and built a strategy around it.
The Problem
For Millennials and Gen Z, platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram have effectively replaced traditional television. They discover and consume content on these platforms and have little incentive to switch to a broadcaster's own environment. At the same time, media organisations are competing with thousands of other content creators for the same attention. NPO recognised that remaining absent from these platforms wasn't a neutral choice, it was surrender.
A behaviour-driven approach
Rather than pushing their brand towards the audience, NPO shifted to a behaviour-driven strategy: start by understanding where the target audience is, what they want and what kind of content fits that context. Mission and brand trust come later. First, you need to earn attention on the platforms your audience already uses.
For NPO, this meant creating platform-first formats: content designed specifically for the platform it lives on, built around audience expectations, rather than broadcast conventions.
The FOMO Show
This is where the FOMO Show comes in. It started as a YouTube-only production, aimed explicitly at younger audiences. Crucially, NPO didn't see this as lowering their editorial standards. Steven Oldengarm explains that they did not lower public value, but instread translated it into content that fits the platform and resonates with the audience, while staying true to NPO's own values.
With 500k to 1 million views for each episode on YouTube and 200-400k on their own platform, the show was a clear success. After several seasons on YouTube, it won the Gouden Televizier-Ring for best online video series; one of Netherlands' most prestigious awards for television programs. But more importantly, it built a loyal core audience and established NPO as a trusted voice in a space crowded with competitors.
From YouTube to own platform
Once that audience equity was established, NPO took the next step. With the follow-up series FOMO Chefs, they released episodes on their own streaming platform NPO Start three weeks ahead of the YouTube release. The result? The core audience, already invested in the format, actively sought out NPO's own platform to watch it early.
This shows that third party platforms can be a bridge towards a broadcaster’s own content platform; you just need to build a strong relationship with your audience and earn their trust first, and that takes time. Third-party platforms are not the destination. They are, in Steven’s words, "the bridge to our own islands", and that bridge needs to be maintained consistently, not just built once.
Conclusion
NPO's approach is an example for any media organisation struggling to connect with younger audiences. Creating content on third party platforms doesn't require abandoning your own platforms or compromising editorial values. It requires patience, consistency and a willingness to meet your audience on their terms, before asking them to meet you on yours.
If an organisation is debating whether to invest in YouTube, TikTok or similar platforms, the FOMO Show is a compelling argument for why the answer should be yes, and a practical example of how to do it well.
