The public broadcaster deliberately launched the new NPO Start app full of flaws and missing functions at the end of last year. The managers of NPO Start understand the dissatisfaction about this, but say that there was no other option.
At the end of last year, the NPO made the transition to a new NPO app. It led to a large stream of complaints. The app no longer works on older smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and Philips. Many users were also angry about the lack of all kinds of functions in the new app. In addition, there were problems with the search function and with Apple TV.
Many problems now solved
In recent weeks, the NPO has resolved most of the problems with NPO Start. The function to save favorite programs also returned in April.
We are still waiting for the option to create a separate profile for children. The app will no longer be available on older smart TVs because, according to the NPO, this would cost too much money and because the security risks on old systems would be too great.
Time pressure due to expiring contract
The problems arose due to the enormous time pressure with which the new app had to be developed, the managers of NPO Start told NRC. “We were under great time pressure, so many complaints were rightly made,” said NPO Start manager Mezen Dannawi.
A factor in this was that not only the app but also the infrastructure had to be renewed at the same time. The platform could not handle possible large numbers of simultaneous viewers. “We had to go live with the new app in November. We were not allowed to extend the expiring contract with an external party due to tender rules. The car had to keep running, so we were forced to introduce the dashboard incomplete,” said product owner Sebastiaan Popma in the newspaper.
NPO Plus
NPO Start reaches a total of around 6 million Dutch people every month. The number of Plus subscribers grew by 100,000 to 800,000 last year. With NPO Plus, which costs 2.95 euros per month, you can watch programs for a year and see some series earlier than on linear television.
NPO Start has a budget of 75 million euros this year, 30 million more than last year. Part of that money goes to new exclusive series, with which the streaming service wants to be an alternative to parties such as Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+. It has not yet been decided which series will come to NPO Start this year. According to Dannawi, the NPO is mainly looking for ‘exciting, continuous stories without a weekly tension, that are more binge-worthy’.
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